What happened

Russia's Transport Ministry said an unmanned surface vessel attacked the Liberia-flagged crude-oil tanker AFRAMAX RIO off the Black Sea coast near Sochi, setting the ship ablaze. The ministry said emergency crews rescued all 23 crew members, all Indian nationals, and reported no injuries. Russian reporting said oil was burning on the water; video showed a large fire and heavy black smoke, while authorities in the nearby Sirius federal territory temporarily closed beaches and monitored air and water quality. On 7 October, the Transport Ministry said the open fire had been extinguished. The reviewed official reporting did not identify the attacker, disclose the tanker's cargo quantity, quantify any release, establish whether oil entered or remained in the sea, or establish the vessel's final damage, stability or operating status. Reports that the ship was travelling from Novorossiysk to India were attributed to Russian social-media channels rather than the Transport Ministry and are not treated here as confirmed voyage information. The vessel's name and IMO number are corroborated by maritime registries, but its full carrying capacity must not be treated as the quantity aboard or released.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.