The Russian ship that sank near Spain may have carried…

A Russian cargo ship that suffered a series of mysterious explosions before sinking off the southeastern coast of Spain 17 months ago may be carrying nuclear underwater reactors destined for North Korea, according to reports.

The Ursa Major, a 142-metre-long Russian-flagged ship owned by state company Oboronlogistics, was allegedly sailing from St Petersburg to Vladivostok in Russia’s far east when it sank 62 nautical miles off the coast of Murcia just before midnight on 23 December 2024.

Eleven hours earlier, Spain’s maritime rescue and safety service, Sasemar, had sent a helicopter, a fast rescue vessel and a tugboat to the Big Dipper, which issued a distress call at 12.53pm.

Other ships in the area noticed that the Russian vessel, which had slowed significantly over the previous 24 hours, was listing badly and saw its crew abandon ship. Crew members told rescuers that there had been three explosions in the ship’s engine room.

Spanish attempts to assist the Big Dipper were cut short that evening at 8:07 pm when a Russian warship arrived, took control of operations, and ordered the two Sasemar boats to withdraw to a distance of two nautical miles.

According to a Spanish government document published three months ago in response to parliamentary questions about the incident, the Russian warship then fired rockets at the Big Dipper. An article in Murcia’s La Verdad newspaper said the rockets may have been used to blind the infrared channels of intelligence satellites monitoring the crash.

A CNN investigation into the ship’s sinking found that “four similar seismic signatures … whose pattern resembled underwater mines or surface quarry explosions” were heard soon after the rockets were fired. By 11.20pm the Big Dipper had sunk and now lies at a depth of 2,500 metres. Two crew members are believed to have died in the initial explosions, while 14 were rescued.

Although the vessel was officially carrying “non-dangerous goods” – including 129 containers, two cranes and two large maintenance pit covers – its path and sinking raised the suspicions of Spanish authorities.

When questioned, the captain of the Ursa Major eventually told Spanish investigators that the “manholes” aboard his ship were “components of nuclear reactors similar to those used by submarines,” but that no nuclear fuel was being carried.

Investigators had also noticed two huge blue containers – each estimated to weigh around 65 tonnes – on the ship’s stern in satellite photographs.

“These would therefore be two loads that are almost impossible to transport along the winding roads of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan between the two cities served by the Big Dipper,” reads the La Verdad report.

“That mysterious undeclared cargo would certainly justify a journey of over 15,000 kilometers by sea between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok.”

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A source close to the investigation told CNN that the Russian captain believed he would be diverted to the North Korean port of Rason to deliver the two reactors.

While the incident remains a mystery, CNN suggested that the sinking of the Big Dipper “could mark a rare, high-risk intervention by a Western military to prevent Russia from sending a nuclear technology upgrade to a key ally, North Korea.” The network noted that the Russian vessel set sail just two months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent troops to assist in Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

CNN and La Verdad reported that a 50 x 50 cm hole found in the ship’s hull – with damaged metal facing inwards – may have been created by a super-fast weapon known as a supercavitating torpedo.

“Only the United States, some NATO allies, Russia and Iran are believed to have this type of high-velocity torpedo, which fires air in front of the weapon to reduce water resistance,” CNN said.

“The source who is familiar with the [Spanish] The investigation concluded that the use of such a device would fit the size of the hole in the Ursa Major’s hull and that it could have had a silent impact causing the boat to suddenly slow down on December 22.

CNN said there had been a “flurry of recent military activity” around the ship’s remains, with US nuclear “sniffer” planes flying over the scene twice in the past year, and a Russian spy ship setting off four further explosions in the wreckage a week after the sinking.

A report by Oboronlogistics claimed that the Big Dipper had been the victim of what it called “a targeted terrorist attack.”

Spain’s interior, foreign and defense ministries have been contacted for comment. [The Guardian UK]

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