A RUSSIAN ship believed to be carrying submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea sank off the coast of Spain following a series of unexplained explosions, an investigation revealed.
Two crew members died after the Ursa Major was hit by at least seven blasts around 60 miles off Cartagena on December 23, 2024, a CNN investigation has found.
The US outlet’s report suggests the sinking may mark a Western bid to derail Russian plans to upgrade military assets in North Korea, one of Moscow’s key allies.
According to CNN, the ship departed St Petersburg on December 11 with a publicly declared destination of Vladivostok.
Instead, the Ursa Major travelled down the French coast, rounded Portugal and entered Spanish waters on December 22.
Shortly before midday the next day, the vessel issued a distress call after three explosions struck its starboard side.
Spanish sources cited by CNN said investigators have not determined the cause of the blasts, though one source suggested a rare type of torpedo may have been used to breach the hull.
The ship did not sink immediately, but was left ‘immobile and listing’ as Spanish rescue crews responded, the report said.
Spain’s Salvamar Draco rescue vessel later recovered the remaining 14 crew members from the stricken ship.
The situation became more tense when the Russian warship Ivan Gren arrived around 8pm and ordered nearby vessels to remain two nautical miles away.
According to the report, the Russian ship later requested Spain return the rescued sailors immediately.
At 9.50pm, the Ivan Gren reportedly fired red flares over the area, after which another four explosions were detected. The Ursa Major was declared sunk at about 11.10pm.
READ MORE: Spanish foreign minister calls for creation of EU army amid doubts over US commitment to NATO
The surviving crew members were brought ashore in Cartagena, where they were interviewed by Spanish police and investigators.
CNN reported that captain Igor Anisimov was initially reluctant to discuss the ship’s cargo, reportedly out of concern for his safety.
However, the report claims he later told investigators the Ursa Major was carrying ‘components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines,’ and that he was unsure whether they contained nuclear fuel.
Sources cited by CNN also said Anisimov believed the cargo was ultimately bound for the North Korean port of Rason.
The crew was repatriated to Russia several days later.
Since sinking to the bottom of the Mediterranean, the Ursa Major has continued to attract international attention.
Public flight records show US nuclear-detection aircraft have flown over the wreck site twice in the past year.
READ MORE: Spain summons Israel envoy over detention of ‘kidnapped’ Gaza flotilla activist
CNN also reported that a suspected Russian spy ship visited the wreck a week after the sinking, during which four further explosions were allegedly recorded.
The ship’s owner, Orobonlogistics, along with Russian, Spanish and British military authorities, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment. The Pentagon also declined to comment.
While several Western intelligence and security officials reportedly described aspects of the investigation as unusual or speculative, none offered an alternative explanation for the initial explosions or Russia’s response following the incident, the report said.
Click here to read more International Affairs News from The Olive Press.
