The Russian cargo ship that sank on December 24 in the Mediterranean Sea was the target of a “terrorist act,” according to its owner Oboronologistika, a company affiliated with the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Ursa Major sank while passing through international waters between Spain and Algeria.
Oboronologistika said on December 25 that an explosion on the starboard side of the ship led to the sinking. The company described the incident as a “terrorist act” but did not specify who was likely responsible for the attack, The Guardian reported.
The 142-meter-long Ursa Major is the largest vessel operated by Oboronologistika, capable of carrying 1,200 tons of cargo. Both the ship and its owner were sanctioned by the United States in 2022 over their ties to the Russian military.
The Spanish maritime rescue agency said the first distress call from the Ursa Major was received on the morning of December 23 while the ship was off the southeastern coast of Spain in bad weather. At that time, the ship was listing and a lifeboat had been launched.
Moscow said 14 of the ship's 16 crew members were rescued and taken to Spain, while two sailors remained missing.
The ship was en route to Vladivostok in Russia's far east, carrying two port cranes, each weighing 380 tonnes.
The sinking of the Ursa Major comes days after a Russian oil tanker sank in the Black Sea, causing a catastrophic oil spill.
