A Russian defense ministry-owned cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean after an explosion in its engine room, leaving two crew members missing. The incident occurred in international waters, off the coast of southeastern Spain. Out of the 16 crew members onboard, 14 were rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena, while the two missing individuals remain unaccounted for.
The Ursa Major, a 124.7-meter general cargo ship, was en route from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok when it sent a distress signal on Monday. Bad weather and a severe list prompted the launch of a lifeboat, and Spanish rescue teams quickly responded with helicopters and boats. The ship eventually sank overnight after a Russian warship assumed control of the rescue operation.
The Ursa Major is owned by a subsidiary of Russia’s Oboronlogistika, which is tied to the Russian defense ministry. The ship has previously been involved in supplying Russian troops in Syria. U.S. sanctions on Oboronlogistika in 2022 prohibited American organizations from engaging with the company, particularly concerning its transportation of goods to Russian-occupied Crimea.
The incident raises concerns about Russia’s presence in Syria, especially with ongoing discussions about the future of its military bases in the region, following political shifts there. The Kremlin has been transporting military equipment from its Tartus naval base to Libya, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
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