ISTANBUL — A naval drone struck the Turkish-operated oil tanker Altura as it approached the Black Sea entrance to the Bosporus Strait on March 26, 2026. The attack damaged the vessel's bridge and engine room, though all 27 Turkish crew members were unharmed.

The Altura was carrying 140,000 tonnes of crude oil when it was hit approximately 14 nautical miles north of the Bosporus. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the tanker was subjected to an attack by an unmanned sea vessel.

"Our technical teams have been dispatched to the scene. It was an externally caused explosion, a deliberate attack aimed at disabling the ship, particularly targeting the engine room," Uraloglu said.

Following the explosion, the tanker radioed for emergency assistance. The rescue ship Nene Hatun and other vessels were dispatched by Turkey's General Directorate of Coastal Safety.

The Altura has been subject to European Union sanctions since October 2025 due to its role as part of a "shadow fleet" exporting Russian oil and petroleum products, according to the Open Sanctions website. The vessel left Russia's Novorossiysk port on Sunday, according to the Maritime Traffic website.

The Turkish-flagged tanker has been owned by Turkey-based Pergamon Maritime since November 2025. Open Sanctions reported links between the Altura and the Iranian regime under its previous ownership.

Ukraine had previously carried out naval strikes against Russian shipping during the war, particularly using explosives-packed marine drones. Ukrainian naval drone missions have largely been limited to the waters of the northern Black Sea.