'Drone Attack, Mayday!' Crew Warned Seconds Before Ukraine’s Underwater Drone Hit Russian Tanker

Kyiv: On Saturday, an unmanned underwater drone of Ukraine hit the Russian oil tanker 'Virat' in the Black Sea. This incident became more serious because there were explosions on the same tanker late on Friday night also. The attacks for two consecutive days have raised big questions on the security of Russia's Shadow Fleet.

Immediately after the attack, the tanker's crew called for help over open radio. It was clearly heard in the message—"This “is Virat… need help… drone attack… mayday!” Speaking to CNN, an official of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that the attack was part of a deliberate strategy and that the target was Russia's alternative oil transportation system.

🇺🇦❌🇷🇺 Another Russian oil tanker, part of the Russian "shadow fleet," is on fire off Turkey's coast, following an attack by Ukrainian sea drones (USVs).

The crew reported the drone attack via an open frequency:
This is VIRAT. Need help! Drone attack! Mayday!#Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/pYOKTthe1L

— TheWarPolitics (@TheWarPolitics0) November 29, 2025

How was the drone attack on the tanker carried out?

Turkey's Transport Ministry said that Viraat was again attacked by a pilotless maritime drone on Saturday morning. The attack occurred approximately 35 nautical miles from the coast.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said preliminary investigations showed the ship was damaged by an external explosive device—a mine, rocket, or underwater drone.
The tanker has been damaged, but the ship is still afloat, and all crew members are safe.

Was this attack part of Ukraine's plan?

AFP reported that the attack was a joint operation between the SBU and the Ukraine Navy.
Sources say that this attack has happened at a time when America is pressuring Ukraine to stop the war and reach a peace agreement. A Ukrainian Security Service official said both Russian tankers were “seriously damaged” after the collision and could no longer be in service. This is being considered a major blow to Russia's marine oil supply.

How advanced is drone technology said to be?

According to an SBU source, a modernized Sea Wabby naval drone was used in the attack. These drones have been upgraded to have the ability to move at high speed underwater and reach the target without being detected. The SBU also released a video that showed that the marine drone was heading straight towards the tanker, and then there was a massive explosion. After the video surfaced, it became clear that the war in the Black Sea has now reached a more technical and dangerous level.