Mystery explosion sinks Russian supply ship in Mediterranean
The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea. For years, it had been used to supply Russian bases in Syria. There was reportedly an explosion in the engine room.
The Russian merchant vessel Ursa Major sank in international waters between Spain and Algeria, according to "El Español" and "La Verdad".
According to media reports, Ursa Major was heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar. However, there was an explosion in the engine room. The ship veered off course and began to list.
Two crew members are missing. The remaining 14 people were rescued by maritime rescue services and transported to the Spanish city of Cartagena.
What was on the ship?
The ship was reportedly carrying empty containers, at least according to its captain. However, media noted that four days before the incident, the company Oboronlogistics — the ship's owner — announced that Ursa Major would be sent to the Far East with a "significant project cargo as part of state tasks aimed at developing port infrastructure and the Northern Sea Route". The ship was loaded with port cranes and components for new icebreakers, as evidenced by photos of the ship.
Oboronlogistics is part of the military complex of the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Mediazona reported that Ursa Major had been transporting supplies for Russian military forces in Syria for years. Analysts noted that in recent days, several similar vessels were recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. In their opinion, they might have been involved in evacuating Russian bases following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
