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| Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion in engine room | Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion in engine room |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Two crew members from Ursa Major are missing and 14 have been rescued, Russian foreign ministry says | Two crew members from Ursa Major are missing and 14 have been rescued, Russian foreign ministry says |
| An engine room explosion sank a Russian cargo ship called Ursa Major in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria and two of its crew are missing, the Russian foreign ministry has said. | An engine room explosion sank a Russian cargo ship called Ursa Major in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria and two of its crew are missing, the Russian foreign ministry has said. |
| The vessel, built in 2009, was controlled by Oboronlogistika, a company that is part of the Russian defence ministry’s military construction operations, which had previously said it was en route to the Russian far-eastern port of Vladivostok with two giant port cranes lashed to its deck. | The vessel, built in 2009, was controlled by Oboronlogistika, a company that is part of the Russian defence ministry’s military construction operations, which had previously said it was en route to the Russian far-eastern port of Vladivostok with two giant port cranes lashed to its deck. |
| The foreign ministry’s crisis centre said in a statement that 14 of the ship’s 16 crew members had been rescued and brought to Spain, but that two crew were still missing. It did not say what had caused the explosion. | The foreign ministry’s crisis centre said in a statement that 14 of the ship’s 16 crew members had been rescued and brought to Spain, but that two crew were still missing. It did not say what had caused the explosion. |
| Russia’s embassy in Spain was cited by the Russian state RIA news agency as saying it was looking into the circumstances of the sinking and was in touch with the authorities in Spain. | |
| Oboronlogistika and SK-Yug, a company LSEG lists as part of the group and the ship’s direct owner and operator, declined to comment on the sinking. Both entities were placed under sanctions by the US in 2022 for their ties to Russia’s military as was the Ursa Major itself. | |
| Unverified video footage of the ship heavily listing to its starboard side with its bow much lower down in the water than usual was filmed on 23 December by a passing ship and published on Russia’s Life.ru news outlet on Tuesday. | Unverified video footage of the ship heavily listing to its starboard side with its bow much lower down in the water than usual was filmed on 23 December by a passing ship and published on Russia’s Life.ru news outlet on Tuesday. |
| Oboronlogistika, the ship’s ultimate owner, said in a statement on 20 December that the ship, which LSEG data showed was previously called Sparta III, had been carrying specialised port cranes due to be installed at Vladivostok as well as parts for new ice-breakers. | Oboronlogistika, the ship’s ultimate owner, said in a statement on 20 December that the ship, which LSEG data showed was previously called Sparta III, had been carrying specialised port cranes due to be installed at Vladivostok as well as parts for new ice-breakers. |
| Two giant cranes could be seen strapped to the deck in the unverified video footage. | Two giant cranes could be seen strapped to the deck in the unverified video footage. |
| LSEG ship tracking data shows the vessel departed from the Russian port of St Petersburg on 11 December and was last seen sending a signal at 2204 GMT on Monday between Algeria and Spain. | LSEG ship tracking data shows the vessel departed from the Russian port of St Petersburg on 11 December and was last seen sending a signal at 2204 GMT on Monday between Algeria and Spain. |
| On leaving St Petersburg it had indicated that its next port of call was the Russian port of Vladivostok, not the Syrian port of Tartous which it has called at previously. | On leaving St Petersburg it had indicated that its next port of call was the Russian port of Vladivostok, not the Syrian port of Tartous which it has called at previously. |
| The Spanish news outlet El Espanol said on its website that crew members had been evacuated to the Spanish port of Cartagena and that several vessels, including a Spanish navy ship, had taken part in rescuing the crew. It said the vessel had been due to arrive in Vladivostok on 22 January. | The Spanish news outlet El Espanol said on its website that crew members had been evacuated to the Spanish port of Cartagena and that several vessels, including a Spanish navy ship, had taken part in rescuing the crew. It said the vessel had been due to arrive in Vladivostok on 22 January. |