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A Russian natural gas tanker floating in the Mediterranean Sea represents an “imminent and serious” ecological threat, several European countries have warned.
The Arctic Metagaz has drifted in waters between Malta and Italy, European Union (EU) countries, including France and Italy, said in a letter to the European Commission.
Earlier this month, RussiaThe Transport Ministry said the ship, carrying liquefied natural gas from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukraine naval drone, which is claimed to have been launched from the Libyan coast.
On March 4, Libya’s maritime agency reported that the ship had sunk in waters between Libya and Malta after catching fire the day before.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
The letter to the European Commission said the plight of the Arctic Metagaz posed a “dual challenge” of upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster while maintaining EU sanctions imposed on Russia.
“The ship’s precarious condition, combined with the special nature of its cargo, raises the risk of an imminent and serious ecological disaster in the heart of the EU maritime space,” the letter said.
The European Union said the ship was part of Russia’s possessions “shadow fleet”intended to circumvent sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The letter said actions to resolve the situation, including supervision, monitoring and other technical support, risked “undermining the integrity, effectiveness and deterrent value of the EU sanctions regime”.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged the ship was adrift in the Mediterranean, and said Russia’s further involvement in the situation would depend on “real circumstances”.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow had been in touch with the ship’s owner and foreign “competent bodies.”
The ship, which has no crew, is carrying 700 metric tons of various types of fuel, and “large quantities of natural gas.”
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“The norms of international law applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal states… to resolve the situation with drifting ships and prevent an environmental disaster,” Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry’s website.
“Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as flag state will depend on specific circumstances.”
