Transport Minister Uraloğlu confirms attack on Turkish tanker Altura by unmanned vehicle, ensuring crew safety and investigating the incident.
The captain of the Turkish crude oil tanker Altura, flying the Sierra Leone flag and departing from Russia, reported via radio that they were attacked by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) 14 miles away from the Istanbul Strait.
Radio communications regarding the attack have emerged.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who made a statement about the explosion, said, 'We believe it was not a drone attack but carried out by an unmanned surface vehicle. It was an externally sourced explosion, specifically a deliberate attack aimed at disabling the ship, particularly targeting the engine room. There are no health issues or injuries among the 27 Turkish crew members.'
In a television program discussing the explosion, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated, 'We particularly think that the engine room was targeted. We believe this was not a drone attack but carried out by an unmanned surface vehicle. Our technical teams have been dispatched to the scene. It was an externally sourced explosion, specifically a deliberate attack aimed at disabling the ship, particularly targeting the engine room. We do not know the owner of the Turkish-operated vessel. All crew members are Turkish, and there are no health issues or injuries among the 27 personnel.'
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
