UPDATE WAR AT SEA
Putin accuses Ukraine of attacking gas tanker that exploded and sank off Libya
Top stories
Two
prominent, separate incidents involving the sinking of Russian vessels
in the Mediterranean Sea have been linked to underwater strikes or
explosions in the past 15 months:
1. Arctic Metagaz (March 3–4, 2026)
- Incident: The Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz exploded and completely sank approximately 150 miles off the coast of Libya while en route to Port Said, Egypt.
- Alleged Cause: Russia's Transport Ministry and President Vladimir Putin officially blamed Ukrainian naval drones (USVs) for the attack.
- Casualties: All 30 Russian crew members were safely rescued by Maltese rescue services and moved to a lifeboat.
- Context: The ship was part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used to bypass Western sanctions on energy exports.
2. MV Ursa Major (December 23, 2024)
- Incident: The heavy-lift cargo ship Ursa Major sank in international waters between Spain and Algeria.
- Submarine/Torpedo Evidence:
- Spanish investigators identified hull damage consistent with an external strike by a torpedo.
- Reports suggest the damage was caused by a supercavitating torpedo, a weapon capable of extreme speeds underwater.
- Speculation points to a Western submarine intervention to prevent the ship from delivering sensitive cargo.
- Cargo: Though officially carrying empty containers, investigators concluded it was clandestinely transporting two nuclear reactor casings for submarines, likely destined for North Korea.
- Casualties: 14 crew members were rescued; two engineers remained missing.
Note on Related News: On March 4, 2026, a separate incident involved a US submarine sinking an Iranian warship (IRIS Dena) in the Indian Ocean, which marked the first US torpedo kill since WWII
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