The owner of a Russian ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea said Thursday it was a “terrorist attack. “
Newsweek reached out to the Russian government via an online form for comment Thursday afternoon.
Fourteen crew members of the ship Ursa Major had to be rescued from a lifeboat and taken to Spain, according to the Spanish maritime rescue agency. None of the fourteen team members were injured, but the Spanish and Russian governments said two team members were missing.
The Big Dipper sank due to the explosions, according to the ship’s owner.
Oboronlogistica, a Russian-controlled company that operated the Big Dipper, said the ship was destroyed by three loud explosions just above the waterline, calling it a “terrorist attack,” according to a report published by RIA Novosti, the Russian news agency.
The ship operator said the explosions left a hole in the vessel’s starboard and filled the engine room with acrid smoke. Smoke impeded the crew’s attempts to access the engine room, according to the company. The operator said the engine room damage made it impossible to activate pumps and keep the ship from sinking.
Oboronlogistica’s claims can be independently verified through Newsweek.
On Tuesday, the Spanish and Russian governments announced the sinking of the Big Dipper between Spain and Algeria.
The Big Dipper is one of the largest transport ships in Russia. According to Oboronlogistica, it had departed from St. Petersburg and was transporting two heavy cranes and other equipment to the port of Vladivostok, on the eastern coast of Russia.
Oboronlogistica is a Russian transport and logistics company established under the auspices of the country’s Ministry of Defense. It has been the target of sanctions from the United States and the European Union (EU) due to its ties to the Russian military.
Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “The ship, which left St. Petersburg 12 days ago and was heading to Vladivostok, suffered an explosion in the engine room. “
Frederik Van Lokeren, a former Belgian naval officer and current naval analyst, wrote: “This turns out to be a bad start for the Russian evacuation of Tartus. The first [Russian shipping ship] Sparta broke down off the coast of [the Syrian city of] Tartous, now Ursa. “Major appears to have suffered from more severe depression. “
There are still many unknowns about the Ursa Major’s sinking with Russian officials yet to confirm the cause of the attack and two crew members who remain missing.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Rachel Dobkin is a reporter for Newsweek in New York City. Its objective is to inform about politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in October 2023. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta. You can reach Rachel by emailing r. dobkin@newsweek. com. Languages: English.