Bulgarian maritime authorities on December 6 launched an operation to evacuate the crew of the oil tanker Kairos, which was stranded off the Black Sea port of Ahtopol after a suspected Ukrainian drone strike and an abandoned towing attempt from Turkey, BTA reported.

The 274-metre Kairos, sailing under the flag of Benin and believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western sanctions, caught fire last week following what Kyiv-linked sources described as an attack by Ukrainian naval drones near the Turkish coast. The tanker, empty at the time, was travelling from Egypt to the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

Built in 2002 and weighing 149,000 tonnes, the vessel has shifted flags repeatedly in recent years and was sanctioned by the European Union in July, followed by the UK and Switzerland.

The tanker entered Bulgarian territorial waters on December 5 under tow by a Turkish vessel, but the tug abruptly released it, leaving the powerless ship to drift before it ran aground less than a nautical mile from the coast.

Rumen Nikolov, head of rescue operations at the Bulgarian Maritime Administration, said on December 6 that authorities were working through diplomatic channels to clarify why the tanker was brought into Bulgarian waters. He said the vessel was stable despite rough conditions and posed no threat to the environment.

“All ten crew members are in good condition. They have about three days of food and water,” Nikolov said, adding that evacuation would only proceed when weather conditions improved. The crew, of mixed nationalities, has requested evacuation.

Border Police chief Anton Zlatanov told Nova TV that communication had been established with the crew, who had dropped anchor on orders from Bulgarian authorities. He said the tanker was being monitored by radar, thermal cameras and radio systems.

Attempts to reach the vessel on December 6 were thwarted by gale-force winds and high seas, officials said. A Border Police ship remains on standby in Sozopol, and helicopters may be deployed once the weather clears to deliver supplies or assist evacuation.

Once weather conditions improve, Bulgaria expects to tow the tanker to a safe location, likely Burgas Bay, pending government approval.