This Tuesday, December 24, 2024, a Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean. What happened?
A Russian cargo ship called “Ursa Major” sank in the Mediterranean, this Tuesday, December 24, 2024. What happened?
An explosion, two sailors wanted
The ship was victim of a shipwreck exactly between Spain and Algeria following an explosion in the engine room. This was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Two sailors among the 16 crew members are missing. The fourteen others were rescued and brought back to Spain, he said in a press release.
He had left Saint Petersburg
According to LSEG ship tracking data, the vessel has left the Russian port of Saint Petersburg on December 11 and was last identified sending a signal at 2204 GMT on Monday, between Algeria and Spain. When leaving St. Petersburg, the cargo ship had indicated that its next port of call was the Russian port of Vladivostokand not the Syrian port of Tartous where he stopped.
What was his mission?
The operator and owner of the vessel is a company called SK-Yugwhich is part of Oboronlogistics, according to LSEG data. Oboronlogistics and SK-Yug declined to comment. Oboronlogistics reported on December 20 that the vessel was carrying specialized cranes intended for installation in the port of Vladivostok, as well as parts for new icebreakers.
According to the Ukrainian intelligence services, cited by the Ukrainian press itself reported by AFP, the cargo ship in question would be used to transport weapons and equipment from Syria.
