Russia blames 'terrorism' for sinking cargo ship off the Spanish coast, two crew missing
Two crew are missing after a cargo ship from a company under the Russian defence ministry sank off the coast of Spain in what Russian authorities on Wednesday called a "terrorist act", without offering evidence to support the claim. The Ursa Major, which was under US sanctions, was sailing from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok.
A "terrorist act" sank the cargo ship that went down in international waters in the Mediterranean this week, the Russian state-owned company that owns the vessel said Wednesday.
The Oboronlogistika company said it "thinks a targeted terrorist attack was committed on December 23, 2024, against the Ursa Major," it said in a statement cited by Russian news agencies, without indicating who may have been behind the act or why.
The ship sank in international waters off Spain in the early hours of Tuesday after having sent a distress call for help on Monday.
"Three consecutive explosions" took place on the ship before it began taking on water, added the company, which belongs to the Russian defence ministry.
Oboronlogistika did not say what evidence it had allowing it to conclude a terrorist attack sank the Ursa Major.
Russian foreign ministry's crisis unit said on Telegram on Tuesday that the ship sank "after an explosion in the engine room".
It added that out of the 16 Russian crew members on board, 14 had been rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena and two were missing.
Spain sent out a helicopter and rescue boats and took the survivors to port, the service said.
(AFP)
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