Alex Trelinski
THE company which owns the Russian merchant ship that sank on Monday in the Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and North Africa has claimed the vessel was attacked by terrorists.
“Oboronlogistika believes that on December 23, 2024, a previously planned terrorist attack was committed against the Ursa Major,” the firm said in a statement.
The news release says that ‘according to reports from the ship’s crew, there were three consecutive explosions on the starboard side in the aft area.’
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The Russian Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case for a violation of navigation rules.
Of the 16 crew members, 14 were rescued and transferred to the port of Cartagena in the Murcia region.
The sinking of the cargo ship, which according to Russian media was carrying two port cranes and components for the construction of icebreakers, occurred after an explosion in the engine room.
The Ursa Major, 142 metres long and 23 metres wide, was operated by a subsidiary of Oboronlogistik.
It was designated by the Russian government as the sole service provider for the country’s Ministry of Defence for transporting cargo to Crimea, the Arctic and the Far East of Russia.
So what was this ship doing in the Med?