Russia believes that a premeditated terrorist attack caused the explosion that sank a Russian cargo ship named the Ursa Major in international waters between Spain and Algeria on December 23, leaving two crew members missing and 14 rescued, according to Russia’s News Agency TASS.
Oboronlogistika, the ship’s owner, reported that the vessel had suffered three consecutive explosions near its stern, causing it to list severely and flooding its hold. The company described the incident as a deliberate terrorist attack, citing crew statements about the explosions that occurred at 1:50 p.m. Moscow time.
Раша грузовое судно Ursa Major затонуло в результате теракта, утверждает «Оборонлогистика»
«На правом борту «Большой Медведицы» произошло три взрыва, что привело к крушению»Как то незаметно эта новость сошла, а выводы не сделаны
А ведь это, скорее всего, шикарная операция pic.twitter.com/HrVzheTTxE— миллиард казахстанцев (@S8gy2AEgVRHyS2Q) December 26, 2024
Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the sinking. Military analyst Alexander Stepanov labeled the incident an act of sabotage. The Foreign Ministry confirmed the location of the explosion in international waters between Spain and Algeria.
The Ursa Major, built in 2009 and sanctioned for its role in transporting military cargo, was carrying cranes, hatch covers for icebreakers, and other cargo weighing 806 tons. Its destination had been listed as Vladivostok since December 11, though its last call at Tartous in Syria was in July.
The ship’s owner denied allegations of overloading, providing detailed records of the cargo and its compliance with the vessel’s 9,500-ton capacity. Oboronlogistika highlighted that reports of overloading have harmed the company’s reputation.
The sinking follows earlier issues with Russian ships in the region, including the Sparta, which broke down off Portugal and faced rough seas near Brittany earlier in December. This latest incident highlights growing risks to Russian maritime operations amid geopolitical tensions.
Investigators are working to determine the exact cause of the explosions while search efforts continue for the two missing crew members.