Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean, 2 sailors missing

(CLO) On December 24, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank after an explosion occurred in the engine room while the ship was moving through the Mediterranean Sea, leaving two crew members missing.

According to information from the Crisis Management Center of the Russian Foreign Ministry, on December 23, the Ursa Major had an accident and listed sharply, then sank in the area between Spain and Algeria. Video taken from another ship showed the Ursa Major listing sharply to starboard, the bow of the ship sinking deeper than usual, before losing signal.

Of the 16 crew members, 14 were rescued by international rescue ships, including those of the Spanish Navy. These members were taken to the port of Cartagena, located in the Spanish autonomous community of Murcia, to receive medical care and assistance.

Two crew members are still missing. Russian and Spanish authorities continue to coordinate the search and rescue of the remaining people.

Russian cargo ship Ursa Major. Photo: Marinetraffic

The Ursa Major set sail from Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 11. It last sent a distress signal at 22:04 GMT on December 23, while it was between Spain and Algeria. It was scheduled to arrive in the Far Eastern port of Vladivostok on January 22. The ship was carrying two giant cranes, which were being installed in the port of Vladivostok, as well as parts for a new icebreaker.

The Ursa Major, built in 2009, is a large cargo ship owned by Oboronlogistika, a unit of the Russian Ministry of Defense that provides military transport services.

Oboronlogistika confirmed the incident but declined to comment on the cause of the explosion. The company said the Ursa Major, formerly known as the Sparta III, had been involved in various activities related to the transportation of goods for important Russian military and infrastructure projects.

The incident is one of the major accidents in Russia's recent maritime history, and is drawing international attention to the maritime safety situation, especially in sensitive international waters.

Russian and Spanish authorities will continue to investigate the cause of the explosion and the safety condition of the ship before the incident. This information will be made public when the investigation results are available.

Hoai Phuong (according to TASS, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tau-cho-hang-nga-chim-o-dia-trung-hai-2-thuy-thu-mat-tich-post327251.html