Russian Cargo Ship Sinks in Mediterranean After Explosion, Two Crew Missing
A Russian cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday night following an explosion in its engine room, CNN reports, citing Russian authorities.
The incident has left two crew members missing and prompted search efforts in the region.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s crisis center said that the Ursa Major sank south of Spain after traversing the Strait of Gibraltar. Of the 16 crew members on board, 14 were rescued and taken to a Spanish port, while two remain unaccounted for.
The Ursa Major is the flagship vessel of Oboronlogistika, a Russian shipping company. Oboronlogistika is known to transport cargo for Russia’s Defense Ministry.
The Spanish maritime rescue agency confirmed the ship’s sinking, issuing alerts to vessels in the area about potential wreckage and urging them to exercise caution.
According to a press release issued by Oboronlogistika on Friday, the Ursa Major, formerly named Sparta, was en route to Vladivostok in Russia’s far east. The ship was reportedly carrying two large cranes intended for port infrastructure development.
The sinking of the Ursa Major follows another recent incident involving Russian tankers that suffered damage in stormy weather near the Black Sea, leading to an oil spill.
