Oboronlogistika, the owner of the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major claims its sinking in the Mediterranean sea was an “act of terrorism.”
Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean on Monday while traveling through international waters between Spain and Algeria. Prior to the incident, the 142-meter-long Ursa Major reported trouble due to bad weather.
Shortly after, explosions were reported, including one in the engine room and two on the starboard side. The ship ultimately sank following these blasts. 14 crew members were rescued without injury from a lifeboat and transferred to Spain while two crew members remain missing as of press time.
🇷🇺🌊 – BREAKING: The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank off the coast of Spain after an engine room explosion. Fourteen crew members were rescued, with two still missing. The ship was carrying crucial nuclear equipment and port cranes to Vladivostok.#Russia #UrsaMajor pic.twitter.com/HmvkGqet8w
— The Intel Popsicle Protector (@PopsicleProtect) December 24, 2024
While Oboronlogistika, a company linked to Russia’s Defense Ministry, blamed terrorists for the attack, it did not specify who was responsible. Russian officials have not yet provided further details or evidence to support this claim.
The ship and its owner have been under U.S. sanctions since 2022 due to ties to Russia’s military operations.
The sinking occurred in the midst of heightened scrutiny of Russian maritime operations. Ukraine, which has conducted numerous strikes against Russian targets in the Black Sea, has not claimed involvement in the incident.
The incident comes amid reports of another Russian cargo ship, Sparta, which reportedly experienced engine failure near Portugal earlier in December. Both the Sparta and the Ursa Major are owned by Oboronlogistics. Analysts suggest both ships could be involved in a Russian convoy tasked with evacuating military equipment from Syria.
