The Russian tanker Arctic Metagaz, carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), sank on Tuesday night in the Mediterranean Sea, between Malta and Libya – present reported the Libyan Center for the Coordination of Search and Rescue (RCC) in a Facebook message.
"There was a abrupt detonation on board the ship, followed by a powerful fire that yet led to the sinking of the unit," explained RCC.
On Wednesday, the Kremlin accused Ukraine of attacking the ship with naval drones sent from the Libya coast.
"We are classifying this incidental as an act of global terrorism and maritime piracy, a gross violation of the basic standards of global maritime law," stated the Russian Ministry of Transport, as quoted by the AFP.
Ukraine did not address these allegations.
At the time of the disaster, the ship was about 240 km north of the Libyan Sirte.
The tanker carried 62 1000 tons of liquefied natural gas and sailed from Murmansk in Russia to Port Saidu in Egypt.
According to the Greek paper Naftemporiki, the tanker had an automatic recognition strategy (AIS) disabled.
Libyan authorities reported that the full 30-member crew had been rescued. He took it, according to Libyan portal LibyaObserver, a cargo ship Ripcurst, flowing to Benghazi.
Libyan port authorities have besides warned another ships against approaching the crash site due to the hazard of collision and possible leakage of liquefied natural gas or fuel.
The tanker belonged to the Lathyrus Shipping Company registered in Liberia and was classified as part of the shadow fleet, utilized for transport under Russian oil and gas sanctions. Both the ship and its owner were besides subject to restrictions imposed by the United States, the European Union, as well as Britain and respective another countries.
According to the Equisis database, the ship has changed its name 4 times over the last 4 years (until last year it sailed as Everest Energy), the flag state – 7 times and the shipowner – 8 times. He went to the bottom of the Mediterranean under the Russian flag.
APW, PAP
