A Russian LNG tanker sank in the central Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday after an explosion and fire. All 30 crew members were rescued. No deaths have been reported.
The vessel, named Arctic Metagaz, was carrying liquefied natural gas. According to Libya's Port and Maritime Transport Authority, the explosion occurred first. A fire broke out immediately after. The tanker later went down between Libya and Malta.
The Libyan government confirmed that all crew members were rescued safely. They were picked up after entering Libyan territorial waters.
Explosion and rescue operation
Malta's Rescue Coordination Center identified the location of the incident. Authorities said the crew had abandoned the ship and were found in lifeboats. By the time rescue teams reached them, they had drifted into Libyan waters.
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Libya's maritime authority stated that the fire caused severe damage to the tanker, leading to its sinking. Officials have not reported any casualties so far.
Tracking data cited by media sources shows the tanker had loaded LNG from a Russian floating storage unit. It was heading toward Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. Reports also indicate that the ship's automatic identification system signal was lost near the site of the explosion.
Allegations and investigation
Local media reports say Russia has blamed Ukraine for the incident. Russia's transport ministry has alleged that Ukraine launched an attack from the Libyan coast using naval drones. However, Kyiv has not responded to this claim.
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There has been no independent confirmation of the cause of the explosion. Authorities have not released further technical details about the damage or possible sabotage.
The central Mediterranean is a key route for energy shipments from Russia to Europe. The incident has raised concerns about maritime security in the region.
Investigations are expected to continue to determine what caused the explosion and fire that led to the sinking of the Arctic Metagaz.
