Walter Finch
A RUSSIAN submarine has reportedly declared an ‘explosive hazard’ after being spotted surfacing in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The 74-metre Novorossiysk is said to have suffered a critical fuel-system malfunction while operating in the Alboran Sea heading west.
The incident forced it to surface close to one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints, raising both safety and environmental concerns.
According to Russian investigative outlet VChK-OGPU, fuel has been leaking into the hull of the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine, creating a risk of explosion on board.
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Sources claimed the crew lacks both the spare parts and trained specialists to carry out repairs at sea, leaving them with few options.
One possibility, it was suggested, would be to pump fuel directly into the sea in order to prevent further build-up inside the vessel.
The submarine had been operating in the central Mediterranean and is believed to have been supported in recent weeks by the Russian naval tug Jakob Grebelsky.
Open-source trackers placed the tug currently off the Algarve heading west, suggesting that the Novorossiysk may have already made it into the Atlantic, while another Russian tug, Neptune, has been spotted in the Strait heading west.
Two French warships have been observed moving east through the Mediterranean, possibly shadowing the Russian submarine, and the Spanish frigate Victoria is also in the area.
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All movements have been observed by naval spotters – neither the French Navy nor NATO has commented publicly on the reports.
The Russian Navy has not confirmed the incident.
The Gibraltar Strait is one of the most tightly monitored waterways in the world, with NATO and Spanish assets keeping a constant watch on vessels transiting between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Earlier this month the Russian intelligence-gathering ship Viktor Leonov crossed the Strait, tracked closely by the Spanish frigate Reina Sofia.
Russian warships have been a regular presence in recent years, often watched by NATO aircraft and Spanish naval patrols as they pass through the narrow channel.
The Novorossiysk itself is part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and is a relatively modern addition, launched in 2013 and commissioned in 2014.
The Project 636.3 Kilo-class boats are designed for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare and are capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.
Their operations in the Mediterranean have taken on added importance since the start of the Ukraine war, with the Black Sea Fleet restricted in its movements and forced to rely more heavily on overseas deployments.
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