A Russian cargo ship called Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea overnight after an explosion ripped through its engine room, leaving two crew members still missing. The vessel was carrying port cranes and parts for new ice-breakers when it exploded. 14 crew members were rescued from Spain, where they had been taken after receiving a distress signal. Russia’s embassy in Spain is investigating the cause of the sinking.
The ship was built in 2009 and controlled by Oboronlogistika, a company linked to the Russian Defence Ministry. It departed from St. Petersburg on December 11 bound for Vladivostok with two giant port cranes lashed to its deck. However, it sank between Algeria and Spain after an engine room explosion.
Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service reported receiving the distress signal from the Ursa Major on Monday. A helicopter, two vessels, and a lifeboat were sent to the scene, but the ship was unable to be saved. The surviving crew members were taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-cargo-ship-sank-mediterranean-sea-with-two-crew-missing-russian-foreign-2024-12-24