‘Terrorist Attack’ Sank Russian Cargo Ship in Mediterranean, Owner Claims
A “terrorist act” sank a Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea this week, the state-owned company that the vessel belongs to said Wednesday.
In a statement cited by Russian news agencies, the Oboronlogistika company said it believes a “targeted terrorist attack was committed on Dec. 23, 2024, against the Ursa Major.” It did not say who may have been behind the act or why.
The Ursa Major sank in international waters off the coast of Spain early Tuesday after sending a distress call for help the day before. According to Oboronlogistika, “three consecutive explosions” occurred on the ship before it began taking on water.
Oboronlogistika, which is under the ownership of Russia’s Defense Ministry, did not mention any concrete evidence in its statement backing up the terrorist attack claim.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s crisis unit said Tuesday that the ship sank after an explosion in the engine room. It added that 14 crewmembers had been rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena while two others were missing.
An office of Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into possible maritime transport “security regulations violations.”
The sinking of the Ursa Major came after a Russian tanker transporting fuel oil sunk in a strait between annexed Crimea and southern Russia on Dec. 15, causing a major oil spill.
The ship sent a distress call Monday morning from off the coast of southeastern Spain in bad weather, reporting it was listing and sailors had launched a lifeboat, Spain’s sea rescue service said in a statement. Spain sent out a helicopter and rescue boats and took the survivors to port.
A Russian warship then arrived and took charge of the rescue operation since the ship was between Spanish and Algerian waters, after which the Ursa Major sank overnight.
The Ursa Major is listed on MarineTraffic.com as a 124.7-meter (409-foot) long general cargo ship. It is owned by a subsidiary of Russia’s Oboronlogistika.
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