Türkiye on Thursday expressed concern over an attack on a Turkish-operated oil tanker in the Black Sea, warning the incident poses serious risks to maritime safety and could signal a dangerous expansion of regional conflict.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli said the vessel, identified as the Altura, a Sierra Leone-flagged tanker carrying crude oil and operated by a Turkish company, was targeted earlier in the day in the Black Sea.

He confirmed that all 27 Turkish crew members on board are safe, while technical inspections and response measures are ongoing following the incident.

Keçeli noted that the attack took place within Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone and constituted a violation of international law, as he raised concerns over the safety of navigation, environmental security and the protection of life and property in the region.

He warned that such incidents heighten the risk of the conflict spreading further into the Black Sea, stressing the need to prevent escalation.

The foreign ministry spokesman said Ankara is maintaining diplomatic contacts with relevant parties and emphasized that it reserves the right to take necessary measures under international law to safeguard its economic interests and activities in the region.

The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel had departed from Russia's port of Novorossiysk carrying crude oil, according to ship-tracking ⁠data. ⁠

In December, Türkiye witnessed a series of security incidents linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warning against the Black Sea becoming an "area of confrontation" between the warring parties.

Türkiye, whose northern shore faces Ukraine and annexed Crimea, has maintained close ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.