Russian ship sinks in Mediterranean, 2 crew members missing
A Russian container ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion in the engine room. Fourteen of the sixteen crew members were rescued, while two are missing.
The Russian container ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean after an engine room explosion. According to Reuters, citing the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fourteen of the sixteen crew members were rescued, and two remain missing.
The ship went down in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria. The surviving crew members were evacuated to Spain by rescue services.
Data from the analytics firm LSEG indicates that the container ship departed from the port of St. Petersburg on December 11, and its last recorded position was on Monday at 5 PM (ET).
Initially, the ship was expected to head to the port in Vladivostok, not to the naval base in Syria where it was last seen. The operator and owner of the ship, SK-Yug, part of Oboronlogistics, did not comment on the incident. Oboronlogistics stated that Ursa Major was transporting port cranes and ice-breaking tools, intended for installation at that port.
Similar maritime tragedies are not uncommon. In the South China Sea, a storm split a ship, leaving 27 missing and exposing the relentless power of nature. In Sri Lanka, a chemical disaster from a shipwreck resulted in the deaths of marine animals, highlighting the environmental threats posed by global shipping.
Lack of maritime stability also impacts Europe, where a Slovak freighter capsized in the Baltic Sea. The tragedy occurred despite good weather conditions, resulting in one death and leaving seven crew members missing. This accident underscores the risks inherent to sea voyages.
In Kamchatka, a fishing vessel sank rapidly, with over 20 people on board. Nine were rescued, and five died. This disaster, like the Ursa Major incident, highlights issues with maritime safety and infrastructure that can lead to tragic outcomes.
