The sanctioned oil tanker Qendil, previously attacked by Ukrainian air drones, has run aground off the coast of Bozcaada, a Turkish holiday island. The incident occurred over the weekend as the tanker, in ballast, was steaming from Aliaga, Turkey, to the Yalova ship repair hub.

Response and Incident Details

Turkey’s directorate general of coastal safety dispatched two tugs to assist the stricken vessel and reported no pollution from the grounding. The tanker had been heading west through the Mediterranean after delivering Russian crude to India when it was attacked on 19 December, over 2000 kilometres from Ukraine's coast. Following the attack, which caused suspected engine damage, the Qendil reversed course, changed direction several times, and arrived at the Nemrut anchorage off Aliaga on Christmas Day.

Events Leading to Grounding

After departing Aliaga four days later, the tanker slowed as it approached Bozcaada. According to Kpler ship tracking data, the vessel dropped anchor but continued to drift towards the coast before ultimately running aground.

Ownership and Sanctions

The Qendil is flagged by Oman and was sanctioned by both the European Union and the UK in 2025. Its registered owner is Qendil Marina LLC of Oman, which owns a second vessel, the Destan, sanctioned simultaneously. The Qendil was formerly part of the fleet of Indian ship manager Gatik, which had rapidly expanded its tanker fleet following the invasion of Ukraine before shifting its ships to other managers as Western regulatory scrutiny intensified.