US Edition
Sabotage Suspected as Mystery Blasts Hit Oil Tankers
- The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Vilamoura sustained an explosion in its engine room on June 27 while sailing off Libya's coast after leaving the port of Zuetina with about one million barrels of oil.
- The blast followed a pattern of recent unexplained explosions on tankers that had called at Russian ports amid Western sanctions and a $60 price cap on Moscow's oil exports.
- The explosion caused flooding and loss of maneuverability but no injuries or pollution, and the Vilamoura was taken in tow by the tug Boka Summit en route to Greece for damage assessment.
- Maritime security sources indicated limpet mines as a likely cause of the blasts, and shipowners have started inspecting vessels for mines following similar incidents targeting oil tankers calling at Russian ports.
- These incidents may impact geopolitical relations, requiring Moscow to recalibrate its regional approach and potentially affecting Russian-Iranian ties amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine sanctions.
72 Articles
72 Articles
A series of mysterious explosions on oil tankers in and around the Mediterranean Sea has captivated the maritime world. In just six months, five tankers – all linked to the Russian oil trade – have been damaged by an unexplained explosion. Although Ukraine has remained silent on the matter, some security experts suspect that the country is behind it.
Five different oil tankers have been damaged by magnetic mine explosions this year. All five were docked in Russian ports in the weeks before the explosions, drawing suspicion of sabotage to Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year of resisting a Russian invasion. Kiev has not yet commented on the situation, but its security forces have been responsible for several similar operations.
Attacks on Russia Related Ships Smell Of British / Ukrainian Cooperation - LewRockwell
This now seems to happen with some regularity: An explosion struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Vilamoura, carrying approximately one million barrels of crude, off Libya’s coast, according to its Greek operator, TMS Tankers. – Greek City Times, Jul 1 2025 The explosion flooded the engine room, disabling the vessel. TMS Tankers reported that the ship, which departed from Zueitina, Libya, en route to Gibraltar, will be towed to Greece o…
A series of mysterious explosions on oil ships caused concern in the global maritime industry, suggesting that the attacks could be part of a State- sponsored satellite campaign. Russia? Ukraine? Libya? Financial Times launched a survey.
A tanker attributed to the Russian shadow fleet was damaged in an explosion. It is not the first such incident.
Security experts and shipowners across Europe suspect that a series of mysterious mine attacks on oil tankers in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea are sabotage, the British daily "Financial Times" reported today.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 36% of the sources lean Left, 36% of the sources lean Right
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
