Working Conditions Aboard the James-Ii

On May 27, 2026, a significant incident unfolded in the Black Sea when the tanker 'James II', previously flying the Palau flag, was hit by a drone approximately 47 nautical miles off the coast while heading north of the Türkeli region in ballast. The vessel, with 20 crew members on board, sustained damage primarily in the engine room. At the time of the attack, the last reported position of the ship was 41° 55' N, 029° 41' E. Notably, the 'James II' had traversed the Bosphorus strait on May 5, with Constanta marked as its intended destination, and subsequently went NUC (Not Under Command) following the strike. Although the 'James II' no longer carries an officially confirmed flag as of June 2023, it had faced sanctions from Ukraine, the UK, and Australia. The tanker has been linked to the exportation of Russian oil since June 2024 and has a history of turning off its radar systems near the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov, in addition to being involved in direct oil transfer operations at sea to sanctioned vessels. Just a day after the attack on the 'James II', on May 28, two additional tankers, 'Altura' (IMO: 9292199) and 'Velora' (IMO: 9290373), were targeted by drones while anchored roughly 14 miles off the Turkish coast at position 41° 39' N, 028° 34' E. Fortunately, the drone strikes on these vessels failed to cause any explosions. Both tankers were engaged in an STS (Ship-to-Ship) transfer operation near Kilyos, north of Istanbul, when the evacuation occurred. The 'Altura', which had transited the Bosphorus on March 16, had been moored since March 27, while the 'Velora' passed through the Strait on April 7. Both vessels had been stationary near Yenikoy for an extended period. Coastal Safety lifeboats were dispatched to render assistance, and fortunately, all crew members on board both vessels were reported to be in good condition. Both tankers were listed under Sierra Leone registration, though the flag for the 'Altura' had been flagged as false since November 2025. Both ships were operated by Turkish companies and faced sanctions imposed by the UK and EU. It's notable that the 'Altura' had previously incurred damage from an earlier attack on March 26. [Video Evidence](https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/2059995405362811355) sheds light on these harrowing events.

On October 10, 2025, maritime authorities from the Tokyo MoU detained the vessel 'James II' at Rizhao Port following a thorough inspection. The inspection uncovered a concerning total of 13 deficiencies, with four of them deemed severe enough to warrant the ship’s detention. The 'James II', which had made its way from Lanshan, was anchored at coordinates 35° 04' N, 120° 02' E near Rizhao as of October 13. This incident emphasizes the ongoing commitment of maritime regulators to uphold safety standards in shipping operations.