ANKARA, Turkey — Two tankers were struck and caught fire in the Black Sea, prompting rescue operations, Turkish authorities reported Friday. Crew members on board both vessels were reported to be safe.

The OpenSanctions database, which tracks people or organizations involved in sanctions evasion, described the vessels as “shadow fleet” — or vessels used to evade sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Rescue teams on the scene suspect the tankers were subjected to an “external interference," Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.

Haberturk television reported that the tankers may have been attacked by drones that operate on the water’s surface.

Turkey's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said the first tanker, the Gambian-flagge

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