MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. The Aframax Rio tanker has been towed to a safe location following an attack by unmanned surface vessels, and specialists from the Marine Rescue Service are assessing its technical condition, the Russian Transport Ministry said following a meeting of the task force dealing with the aftermath of the attack on the tanker off the Black Sea coast.

"The vessel has been towed away, and containment booms have been deployed. The necessary reserve of sorbent materials has been prepared. Specialists from the Marine Rescue Service are assessing its technical condition," the statement said.

Earlier, the Transport Ministry reported that the vessel, which was sailing under the Liberian flag and carrying a cargo of oil, had been attacked by unmanned surface vessels off the Black Sea coast. All 23 crew members, who were Indian nationals, were rescued, and no injuries were reported. Sochi authorities said that observations had revealed no oil pollution in the sea. Satellite monitoring also detected no oil slicks in the area.

On October 7, reports said that the burning tanker had been drifting along the coastline of Sochi’s Lazarevsky District under the influence of the current.