Greek police and coast guard officials are assisting an international probe into a string of suspected limpet-mine attacks on oil tankers, including several tied to Greek interests.
Since January, six tankers have been hit in incidents that maritime-security firms describe as a “coordinated sabotage operation” targeting vessels that recently loaded Russian crude at ports such as Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga.
The first blast struck the Greek-linked Seacharm on January 17 off Ceyhan, Turkey, followed by attacks on the Grace Ferrum near Libya and the Koala at Ust-Luga in early February. On February 15, an explosive device detonated on the Greek-owned Seajewel in Savona, Italy, prompting the only formal judicial inquiry so far. Two more explosions followed in late June and early July on the Vilamoura off Libya and the LPG carrier Eco Wizard in Ust-Luga.
Security reports cite on-site evidence indicating Soviet-type limpet mines.