Two explosions came about on the oil tanker Seajewel, moored within the Italian metropolis of Savona on Feb. 18, with the vessel allegedly transporting Russian oil to Europe, Italian publication IVG reported.
The reason for the blasts stays unknown, however preliminary proof suggests potential sabotage, together with harm beneath the waterline and a fish kill close to the tanker.
The Seajewel, a part of Moscow's "shadow fleet" used to evade sanctions, had beforehand loaded oil in Russia 3 times in 2024, in accordance with Ukrainian Pravda (UP).
The crew reported listening to two loud bangs, and the tanker's hull confirmed concave harm, indicating the potential placement of explosive gadgets.
UP revealed that the tanker had lately unloaded within the Romanian port of Constanta after arriving from Turkey and was reportedly heading to Novorossiysk, Russia, for reloading.
The Savona Coast Guard is investigating the incident with divers, although no additional particulars have been launched.
Russia's "shadow fleet" consists of getting older tankers used to bypass sanctions, together with these imposed by the EU, U.Okay., and U.S. Ukraine lately sanctioned captains of those vessels, focusing on Russian and Iranian nationals concerned in illicit oil exports.
A rising portion of Russia's oil tanker fleet is being compelled to reflag as sanctions intensify, disrupting Moscow's oil export logistics and forcing tankers to re-register in much less respected jurisdictions, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23.