Several European countries have warned that the drifting of a Russian natural gas tanker in the Mediterranean Sea represents an “imminent and serious” environmental threat.
The European Union (EU) states, including France and Italy, said in a letter to the European Commission that Arctic Metagaz is floating in waters between Malta and Italy.
Earlier this month, RussiaThe transport ministry said the ship was carrying liquefied natural gas from the Arctic port of Murmansk. Ukrainian It claimed the navy drones were launched off the coast of Libya.
On March 4, Libya’s maritime agency reported that the ship had sunk in waters between Libya and Malta after catching fire a day earlier.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
The ship is floating in the waters between Malta and Italy. Image: Marina Militer/Reuters
The letter to the European Commission said the Arctic state of Metagaz faces the “dual challenge” of upholding maritime security and preventing an environmental disaster while maintaining EU sanctions imposed on Russia.
“The vessel’s precarious condition, combined with the nature of its specialized cargo, poses an imminent and serious risk of a major environmental disaster at the heart of the Union’s maritime space,” the letter said.
The EU says the ship is part of Russia “Shadow Navy”It is intended to bypass sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Action to address the situation, including surveillance, monitoring and other technical support, would “undermine the integrity, effectiveness and deterrence value of the EU sanctions regime,” the letter said.
Russia’s foreign ministry acknowledged the ship was adrift in the Mediterranean and said further Russian involvement in the situation would depend on “concrete circumstances.”
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was in contact with the ship’s owner and foreign “competent organizations”.
The vessel, which had no crew, was carrying 700 metric tons of various fuels and “substantial amounts of natural gas.”
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“International legal rules applicable to the current situation indicate the responsibility of coastal countries… to resolve the situation of the drifting ship and prevent an environmental disaster,” Ms Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry’s website.
“Further involvement as a ship owner and Russia as a flag state depends on specific circumstances.”
