Russian cargo ship sinks ‘after explosion’ within the Mediterranean whereas ‘on navy mission to Syria’

A sanctioned Russian ship with a mystery cargo has sunk in the Mediterranean after an on board ‘explosion’.

Fourteen crew members were reported to have been rescued, while two are still said to be missing.

Ukrainian military intelligence and Spanish sources suggested the Ursa Major was heading to Syria to transport Russian military equipment which is being pulled from the country following the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Russian sources claim that it was heading to Vladivostok, carrying huge cranes weighing 380 tons each, intended for the construction of a modern nuclear icebreaker, described as a key ‘state task’. 

‘To ensure the stability of the vessel when performing cargo operations with oversized cargo, containers were loaded onto the lower deck in advance as additional ballast [in a] complex cargo handling operation,’ an official statement read.  

Both versions may be true – and it may have been due to call at Tartus in Syria, a Russian naval base under the Assad regime, to collect cargo bound for naval port Vladivostok. 

Footage showed how the vessel started listing after its engines ‘exploded’

The Russian vessel Ursa Major with a mystery cargo on board sank in international waters between Spain and Algeria

Fourteen crew members were reported to have been rescued, while two are still said to be missing

The 466ft Ursa Major sank in international waters between Spain and Algeria on Monday, just after midday.

Footage showed how the vessel ‘began listing’ – or tilting to one side – after ‘its engines exploded’ in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The area of the wreck was declared dangerous for shipping until the arrival of ‘a Russian military vessel that took charge of the rescue operations’, according to Spanish news outlet La Verdad.

Later, a Spanish Navy patrol boat joined them.

The vessel has previously frequently carried weapons for Russia’s military machine and is owned by Oboronlogistics, part of the Russian defence ministry.

The US Treasury included the vessel as part of Ukraine-related sanctions in May 2022, Maritime Executive reports. 

It has a gross tonnage of 12,679 and a deadweight tonnage of 9,490.

The rescued crew members – seen on video – were taken to the Spanish city of Cartagena.

A second cargo vessel – Sparta, and visually similar to Ursa Major – was drifting off the coast of Portugal after suffering a technical problem. 

Ukrainian military intelligence agency GUR said: ‘The cargo ship Sparta, which Russia sent to transport its weapons and equipment from Syria, broke down during movement.

A second cargo vessel – Sparta, and visually similar to Ursa Major – was drifting off the coast of Portugal after suffering a technical problem

Footage showed rescued mariners from the Ursa Major after an incident in the Mediterranean

‘A fuel pipe of the main engine failed.

‘The Russian crew is trying to fix the problem and (the ship) is drifting in the open sea near Portugal.’

Sparta reportedly continued her eastbound journey at a low speed, declaring her destination as Port Said in Egypt. 

The latest disaster follows Putin losing multiple naval vessels in the Black Sea after attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles.

Earlier this month an oil tanker broke up in the Kerch Strait and another suffered a serious spill, causing catastrophic pollution in the Black Sea.

It also comes as Russian forces reportedly withdraw from their strategic positions in Syria following the lightning rebel offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.