Russia has labeled the sinking of its cargo ship, Ursa Major, in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday as an “act of terrorism.” The ship sank while traversing international waters between Spain and Algeria. Currently, two crew members are missing, and its owner, Oboronlogistika—linked to the Russian defense ministry—stated on Wednesday that three explosions on the starboard side led to the sinking. The company characterized the event as an “act of terrorism” but did not disclose who might be responsible. The 142-meter long Ursa Major was the largest vessel operated by Oboronlogistika, with a cargo capacity of 1,200 tonnes. Both the ship and its owner were sanctioned by the US in 2022 due to their connections to Russia’s military. Spain’s sea rescue service reported that the ship sent out a distress call on Monday morning while near the southeastern coast of Spain amid poor weather, indicating that it was listing and that a lifeboat had been deployed. Moscow stated that 14 of the 16 crew members were rescued and taken to Spain, while two are still unaccounted for. The ship was reportedly en route to Vladivostok in eastern Russia, carrying two cranes for the port, each weighing 380 tonnes. Russian officials have not yet addressed allegations of foul play regarding the ship’s sinking.
