All 23 Indian Crew Members Safe After Drone Boat Attack on Oil Tanker Off Russian Coast

UPDATE - follow-up to Ukraine drone attack triggers huge tanker fire off Russia's Sochi; 23 Indians rescued: All 23 Indian crew members aboard the Liberia-flagged oil tanker Aframax Rio are safe and have been evacuated to shore following a drone boat attack off Russia's Black Sea coast.

What Happened

The attack took place on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, near the resort city of Sochi, when unmanned surface vessels struck the vessel. The Russian Transport Ministry stated that preliminary data shows no injuries among the crew. However, the tanker caught fire and is currently experiencing open burning of oil, which is too intense for firefighting ships to approach safely yet. Sochi Mayor Andrey Proshunin temporarily banned public access to city beaches and sea embankments on his Telegram channel, while Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin held a meeting to manage the aftermath.

Reactions

India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed grave concern over attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers, stating that targeting traffic in international waterways harms global trade and people's welfare worldwide while urging a return to dialogue. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar noted that India is actively engaging with both Kyiv and Moscow to help resolve the conflict.

Context

The Black Sea is a vital route for international trade, but shipping lanes there face major disruptions due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Commercial vessels and port infrastructure have increasingly become targets in the conflict zone.