Massive fire in Russia's Black Sea port of Sochi as oil tanker hit

The cause of the fire has not been officially confirmed.

RuskiGazeta Editorial DeskOctober 06, 2026, 07:41 PMUpdated: October 07, 2026, 08:10 PM

Massive fire in Russia's Black Sea port of Sochi as oil tanker hit

A vessel, believed to be an oil tanker, caught fire off Sochi on the evening of Oct. 6, sending a huge column of black smoke over the city and leaving burning oil on the water. Some channels claimed a naval drone or UAV attack, but this has not been confirmed, and eyewitnesses said no explosions were heard before the fire. Russian authorities have not commented.

Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said the oil-laden tanker Aframax Rio was attacked by uncrewed boats. All 23 Indian crew members were rescued, and the ministry said on Oct. 7 the fire had been extinguished without an oil spill. Beaches and promenades in Sochi and neighboring Sirius have been closed until further notice, with water and air quality under monitoring.

The promenade and beach in Sochi (archive)