Russia-Linked Oil Tanker Sustains ‘External Explosions’ off Dakar Coast

An oil tanker travelling from Russia was struck by four external explosions off the coast of Dakar last week, according to the Turkish shipowner and Senegalese port authorities, as several experts questioned whether the incident carried geopolitical implications.

Security measures were put in place around 10 kilometres (six miles) from Dakar’s shoreline to stabilise the Mersin, a Panamanian-flagged tanker operated by the Turkish shipping company Besiktas, which had been transporting nearly 39,000 tonnes of fuel.

As of Tuesday, the cause of the explosions remained unknown. However, the vessel’s Russian origin prompted some experts speaking to AFP to suggest the possibility of a Ukrainian attack.

Besiktas Shipping said in a statement on Monday that “while the vessel was at anchor off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, four external explosions occurred” on Thursday at around 11:45 pm (local and GMT), adding that “seawater ingress into the engine room” had taken place.

The shipowner said there were no injuries or casualties, and the situation was swiftly brought under control. It also reported that no pollution had occurred and the ship remained safe and stable.

Dakar port authorities confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that they responded to a distress call from the Mersin on Thursday, evacuating the predominantly Turkish crew and deploying resources to manage the damage.

Ship-tracking website myshiptracking.com indicated that the Mersin had departed from the port of Taman, located on the Kerch Strait linking Russia to Crimea, a Ukrainian territory annexed by Moscow.

Ukrainian involvement?

Several experts told AFP that the ship may have been targeted because of its links to Russia. The incident follows reports from Turkey that three Russia-linked tankers had recently been attacked in the Black Sea.

A Ukrainian security source claimed to AFP that Ukrainian forces used naval drones to hit two tankers attacked on Friday, alleging that both vessels had been “covertly transporting Russian oil”.

Turkey later reported a third vessel being struck on Tuesday, stating it had been carrying “sunflower oil” from Russia to Georgia.

According to Martin Kelly of EOS Marine, the Mersin has “repeatedly carried Russian crude/products”, noting calls made in Novorossiysk, Tuapse and Ust-Luga in 2025.

Dirk Siebels of Risk Intelligence in Denmark said the explosions were unlikely to be accidental, adding that it was “fairly safe to assume” the incident originated from the Ukrainian government or military.

However, Igor Delanoe of the Franco-Russian Observatory expressed doubt, noting that if Ukraine were responsible, it would be a first for this geographical region.

Although the Mersin is not sanctioned by the UN or European Union, two other Besiktas-owned vessels are listed under Ukrainian sanctions.

Pollution concerns

Several similar incidents targeting ships linked to Russian interests have taken place in recent years, without any public claim from Ukraine. Last year, the sinking of the Ursa Major cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea was described by its Russian Ministry of Defence-owned operator as a “terrorist attack”, though no evidence was provided.

Dakar is a major West African port situated along key Atlantic shipping routes connecting Africa with Europe and the Americas.

Port authorities said they established a security perimeter and deployed an anti-pollution boom around the vessel. Pollution is “possible but could be avoided if the actions taken are successful”, according to Ibrahima Diaw, senior commander of the Port of Dakar.

Khaborwala/SS