A large tanker has caught fire off the coast of the resort city of Sochi, Russia, according to local media accounts and satellite sensing data.
The vessel is readily visible from shore, and multiple videos depicting the fire have appeard on Russian social media channels. The bystander-image sequence begins with a substantial fire centered on cargo tanks amidships, followed by obvious signs of burning oil spreading aft down the starboard side. Later videos and photos show a large pool of burning oil on the water aft of the vessel and a towering column of smoke.
Initial reports indicated that the vessel could be the Aframax Rio, previously sanctioned by Ukraine for alleged involvement in Russian oil exports. Marine traffic tracking sites last spotted Aframax Rio on Monday at a position just off the coast of Sirius, a small coastal town to the southeast of Sochi. NASA FIRMS infrared sensing data shows a large, intense heat signature to the west of Sochi, to the northwest of Aframax Rio’s last detected position.
Based on satellite imaging, TankerTrackers.com initially identified the vessel as the Russian-flagged tanker Sphere (IMO 9323974, ex names Marble, Creature, Marta 1, LR2 Eternity), then issued a correction and identified the vessel as Aframax Rio.
Russian war reporting channel ExileNova+ indicates that there were no air raid sirens and no sounds of explosions prior to the fire. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for an attack; it is as-yet unclear whether the casualty was accidental or combat-related.
