Two Oil Tankers Collide and Catch Fire off Khorfakkan

June 17, 2025

Source: Maritime Executive

 

🚨🔥 The Adalynn collided with the crude tanker Front Eagle roughly 22 nautical miles off Khor Fakkan early Tuesday morning (June 17), local time. The impact triggered fires on both ships. While the Front Eagle’s crew managed to bring their fire under control, the situation aboard the Adalynn quickly deteriorated. All 24 crew members were forced to abandon ship and were later rescued by emergency response teams. Dramatic footage circulating online shows the Adalynn engulfed in flames hours after the incident.

 

🔎 According to maritime tracking data, Adalynn has been a frequent traveler between Ust-Luga, Russia, and Vadinar, India – home to one of the world's largest oil refineries, co-owned by Russian energy giant Rosneft. These regular voyages suggest the vessel was likely involved in transporting Russian crude, a trade that has become increasingly opaque under sanctions.

 

Security observers were initially on high alert, given the proximity of the incident to past Iranian naval interference and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. However, both the vessel’s operator, Frontline, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center have confirmed the collision was accidental and unrelated to regional hostilities.

 

“There is currently no evidence to suggest this was anything other than a navigational incident,” UKMTO said in a public advisory. “Local authorities are managing the response. Vessels transiting the area should remain vigilant and report any unusual activity.”

 

Despite being in ballast condition – meaning it was not loaded with cargo – Adalynn’s past operations offer a glimpse into the underworld of international oil transport. According to analytics firm Pole Star, the tanker spent much of the past year shuttling between Russian and Indian ports via the Red Sea, at times navigating through high-risk zones such as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where Houthi rebels have attacked commercial ships.

 

In mid-December 2024, Adalynn docked in Duqm, Oman, for maintenance at a major ship repair facility. After leaving in April, she anchored off Khor Fakkan and remained there until the day of the crash.

 

Ownership records show the vessel is operated by a Mumbai-based company that manages two aging tankers: the Adalynn, which flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Carcharodon, a ship already sanctioned by the UK for transporting Russian oil. Ukrainian authorities have blacklisted both vessels for their involvement in illicit Russian crude shipments.

 

⚓ Adding to the Adalynn’s complex history, the tanker was previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for facilitating oil exports from Venezuela. It was only removed from the blacklist following a change of ownership in early 2024.

 

While investigations into the collision are ongoing, the incident has underscored the dangers posed by shadow fleet operations, particularly in geopolitically sensitive waters. As global enforcement efforts tighten, more of these vessels may come under scrutiny – not just for sanctions evasion, but for the growing safety and environmental risks they present.

 

Screenshot: X