Smoke pours from the Palflot 2 tanker in the Caspian Sea, April 23, 2016. Photo: RT
A Russian oil tanker caught fire in the Caspian Sea on Saturday killing one crew member.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations in Azerbaijan confirmed the incident aboard the Russian-flagged Palflot-2 tanker as the vessel was underway to Alaja Port, Turkmenistan from Azerbaijan. The ship was approximately 70 miles from the Azerbaijan coast in the Caspian Sea.
The ministry said ten of the eleven crew members on board have been rescued. One crew member, identified as the mechanic, was killed in the incident.
Some video of the incident shows the tanker on fire with black smoke pouring from the vessel as crews worked to extinguish the fire.
As of Monday the fire had been extinguished and the tanker was under tow to the Baku Deep Water Jacket Factory in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Here’s some more video from the Ministry of Emergency Situations:
Commodity trading giant Trafigura is launching a new tanker company with plans to raise about $500 million and list the business in Oslo, opening its growing VLCC fleet to outside...
The cost of hiring an oil tanker on the industry’s benchmark trade route topped $1 million a day for the first time, as the Iran war leaves too few ships willing to cross the Strait of Hormuz to collect cargoes.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has directed the U.S. government to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade transiting the Persian Gulf, while signaling that U.S....
March 3, 2026
Total Views: 3461
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 106,659 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 106,659 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.