Another Russia-bound oil tanker has been hit by a suspected drone in the Black Sea, APA reports, citing Daily Mail.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker Elbus was reportedly seen with smoke pouring its deck some 30 miles off the coast of Turkey on Thursday.
Reports say the tanker issued a distress call and then 'abruptly changed direction' to head for Turkish waters.
The tanker was towed by Turkish coastguard teams to and taken to Inebolu port for damage inspection.
The 899ft vessel is initially believed to have been hit by a Ukrainian aerial drone.
The vessel was headed to the Russian port of Novorossiysk, presumably to load crude oil.
No crew injuries were reported.
The incident comes just a day after the US seized the Russian-linked Marinera tanker in the North Atlantic over sanctions on Venezuela.
The Elbus tanker, built in 2005, was not sanctioned by the West.
Flagged in Palau, it is reportedly registered to a Hong Kong company.
Turkish broadcaster NTV reported: 'The Elbus oil tanker, sailing approximately 30 miles off the coast of Abana district in Kastamonu, was hit in its upper sections during a drone attack.
'Following a distress call from the ship, which is believed to have been the target of a drone attack, Coast Guard Command teams were dispatched to the area.'
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