Tankers

JAMES II

alau flagged tanker damaged in Black Sea Fri May 29 12:56:00 CEST 2026 Timsen On May 27, 2026, the 'James II' with 20 people on board, was struck by a drone enroute from Vadinar in the Black Sea, about 47 nautical miles off the coast, while sailing in ballast north of the Türkeli area. The ship was damaged in the engine room area. The last transmitted pos. was 41° 55' N 029° 41' E. The shadow tanker had transited the Bosphorus on May 5, signalling Constanta as destination, and went NUC after the strike. The 'James II' currently has no confirmed flag (it flew the Palau flag until May) and was subject to sanctions by Ukraine, the UK, and Australia. It has been involved in the export of Russian oil since June 2024, has repeatedly turned off its radars near the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov, and has also carried out direct transshipment of oil at sea to other sanctioned tankers. On May 28, drones also targeted the tankers 'Altura' (IMO: 9292199), which was loaded with 140000 tons crude, and 'Velora' (IMO: 9290373), which were anchored about 14 miles off the Turkish coast in the Black Sea in pos. 41° 39' N 028° 34' E, appeared to have failed to explode. The tankers were engaged in an STS transfer near Kilyos, north of Istanbul, and had to be evacuated. The 'Altura' had transited the Bosphorus on March 16 and was moored since March 27. The 'Velora' had transited the Strait on April 7. Both ships had been stationary near Yenikoy since. Coastal Safety lifeboats were sent to ‌the ⁠scene for assistance. All crew members aboard the tankers were reported in good condition Both ships were reported as being registered in Sierra Leone, although the 'Altura'’s flag was listed as false since November 2025. Both tankers were managed by companies in Turkey and sanctioned by the UK and EU. The 'Altura' had already been damaged in an attack on March 26. Both the 'Velora' and 'Altura' were reported as being registered in Sierra Leone, although the 'Altura'’s flag has been listed as false already since November 2025. The tankers were managed by companies in Turkey and sanctioned by the UK and EU. The 'Altura' had already been damaged in an attack on March 26. Video: https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/2059995405362811355