A Russian cargo ship sinks in the Mediterranean Sea with the loss of its two crew

Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean Sea The Spanish Maritime Rescue Agency and the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that two crew members were missing between Spain and Algeria.

The agency said that 14 Ursa Major crew members were rescued from a lifeboat unharmed and taken to Spain. The Russian Ministry said that the ship began to sink following an explosion in the engine room.

The ship was owned by SK-Yug, a subsidiary of the Russian shipping and logistics company Oboronlogicika, which was established under the supervision of the Russian Ministry of Defense and placed under the management of SK-Yug. US and EU sanctions Because of its ties with the Russian army.

Spanish authorities said there were empty containers and two cranes on board. They did not confirm the cause of the accident.

In a statement on December 20, Oporonlogistica said the cargo ship was headed there. The city of Vladivostok in the Far East of Russia It carries two port cranes, each weighing 380 tons. Russian news agency RIA Novosti said the Big Dipper left St. Petersburg 12 days ago.

Spanish authorities said they received an alert around 1pm on Monday when the ship was about 57 nautical miles from Almeria in southeastern Spain. The sea rescue agency contacted a nearby ship which reported bad weather, a lifeboat in the water and the listing of the Ursa Major.

The authorities said A Russian warship The ship arrived later on Monday to supervise rescue operations, and the 142-metre-long cargo ship sank around midnight. The Russian Embassy in Spain told RIA Novosti that it is investigating the incident and is communicating with local authorities.

The Ursa Major was in the western Mediterranean at the same time as the Sparta — another Russian cargo ship subject to U.S. sanctions — whose destination on Tuesday was reportedly Port Said in Egypt, according to ship tracking platform MarineTraffic.com.

It is not unusual for Russian ships to pass from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok via the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal. With global warming, Northern Sea Route through the Russian Arctic It is increasingly traversed throughout the year, but most ships still choose the southern route in winter.

Authorities said Spanish marine rescue units remained in the area on Tuesday to monitor pollution and remove any floating objects that might pose a risk to navigation.