Five Southern European countries are calling for an emergency solution to deal with a Russian fuel tanker without a driver drifting in the Mediterranean, warning the European Commission that the ship poses a serious environmental threat, according to a letter released by the Spanish government on March 18.
The Arctic Metagaz ship carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) was heavily damaged in a suspected drone attack at sea near the waters of Malta in early March. Russia accused Ukrainian naval drones of attacking a Russian LNG ship in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Libya.
In a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, leaders of Italy, Spain, Malta, Greece and Cyprus warned that the Arctic Metagaz ship is causing "immediate and serious risk" of a large-scale ecological disaster, and proposed activating the EU's civil protection mechanism.
Along with the announcement of the Spanish government, three other EU officials also confirmed the content of the letter.
In the letter, the 5 leaders called for a coordinated response at the EU-wide level to quickly mobilize resources, emphasizing that the damage to ships and dangerous cargo are worrying factors.
The precarious condition of the ship, combined with its specialized cargo characteristics, creates an immediate and serious risk of a major ecological disaster right in the maritime space center of the alliance" - the leaders stated in the letter.
After being attacked, the entire crew safely left the ship, but the LNG and other fuel ship was damaged and drifting unmanned.
Leaders also warned of broader risks from ships operating outside international standards, saying that these ships threaten maritime safety and the environment throughout the Mediterranean.
The leaders also plan to raise this issue at the European Council meeting this week and expressed their willingness to cooperate with the European Commission to ensure "a rapid solution led by Europe".
Maltese media reported on March 18, early this week, the Arctic Metagaz ship drifted between Malta and Italy's Lampedusa Island but is currently moving closer towards Libya.
State Secretary at the Italian Prime Minister's Office Alfredo Mantovano said that Malta has banned ships from approaching within 7km of Arctic Metagaz "because the ship could explode at any time".
The Arctic Metagaz ship is 277m long, the hull is blackened, with satellite images showing a hole up to several tens of meters near the water level. Images recorded by AFP show that the stern and hull are clearly blackened.
According to the Russian side, small explosions were still heard on the ship, gas leaks were recorded, tilt increased, and local fires appeared in some compartments. When evacuated, the ship still had about 450 tons of fuel oil, 250 tons of diesel oil, and a large amount of LNG.
Environmental activists call Arctic Metagaz a "floating time bomb", warning that if leaked or exploded, the ship could cause long-term damage to one of the most biodiverse areas in the Mediterranean.
Previously, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Moscow controlled the situation as a flag-raising country but emphasized that according to international law, the responsibility for preventing environmental damage belongs to coastal countries.
