Turkish oil tanker owner Beşiktaş Shipping announced a complete halt to all shipping operations related to Russian interests following the incident involving the Mersin off the coast of Senegal. The company announced this in an official statement on Tuesday, noting that the safety of personnel and assets remains its priority.

According to Reuters, the explosions occurred on November 27 at around 23:45 PM GMT, while the tanker was near the Senegalese capital of Dakar. Four external explosions caused seawater to enter the engine room, but the situation was brought under control.

"All crew members are safe, there are no injuries, casualties or environmental contamination," — Beşiktaş Shipping said in a statement.

The vessel remains stable and does not pose a threat to navigation.

The cause of the explosions remains unclear. Senegalese authorities initially classified the incident as a technical failure, but the Turkish operator confirmed the external nature of the damage. The Panamanian-flagged tanker had previously called at Russian ports, including Novorossiysk and Taman, and was carrying Russian petroleum products.

The 22-person crew, mostly Turkish, were evacuated ashore for medical examination. Senegalese authorities launched rescue operations to prevent a fuel spill—the ship was carrying approximately 39 tons of diesel fuel. Analysts note that the incident highlights the growing risks for ships carrying Russian crude, even far from conflict zones.