Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion

The largest cargo ship in the Russian military’s logistics fleet, the Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria,after an explosion in its engine room. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the ship was lost in international waters following the blast. Two crew members remain missing, while 14 others were rescued and brought to the Spanish port of Cartagena.
The ministry provided no details on the cause of the explosion. The Ursa Major had a capacity of 1,200 tons and was capable of carrying 120 vehicles on its deck.The ship's owner said it was on its way to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East carrying two cranes for the port weighing 380 tonnes apiece, although the destination could not be confirmed independently.Ursa Major's owner Oboronlogistika has been heavily involved in transporting cargo to Tartous, although Sparta's reported destination on Tuesday was Port Said in Egypt.

A Russian cargo ship has sunk in the Mediterranean, according to Spanish authorities. The Ursa Major reportedly suffered a catastrophic engine explosion. Two of the 16 crew remain missing. pic.twitter.com/1psUZA42FI

— RT (@RT_com) December 25, 2024

Ursa Major was built in 2009 and placed under sanction after Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine in 2022 because of the ship owner's role in delivering cargo to the Russian military. Oboronlogistika said the cargo ship, which it described as the flagship of its fleet, was carrying 45-tonne hatch covers for icebreakers, as well as the large cranes for the port in Vladivostok.