Russian Cargo Ship Likely Part Of Syrian Evacuation Mission Sinks In Mediterranean Sea

A Russian cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion in its engine room, according to Russia’s foreign ministry on Tuesday.

Rescue Operations and Missing Crew

Fourteen crew members were successfully rescued, but two individuals remain missing, as reported by the ministry’s crisis unit via a Telegram post. The explosion occurred while the vessel was situated between Aguilas, a town in southern Spain, and the Algerian port city of Oran, as indicated by a map accompanying the statement.

Details of the Sunken Russian Cargo Ship

The Ursa Major is owned by SK-YUG LLC, a Russian shipping company also known as SC South, which is under U.S. sanctions. According to ship tracking data, the 466-foot-long vessel, which was built in 2009, had departed from St. Petersburg on December 11, before the incident occurred.

The sinking of the Ursa Major comes on the heels of an earlier report from Ukraine’s intelligence directorate, which detailed an engine failure aboard a Russian cargo ship named Sparta near Portugal on Monday. The Sparta had been tasked with evacuating Russian weapons and equipment from Syria. After the crew managed to repair the ship, it continued its journey through the Strait of Gibraltar, according to Ukraine’s GUR.

Incident Follows Another Russian Cargo Ship Breakdown

There remains uncertainty as to whether the Sparta and the Ursa Major are the same vessel. Maritime tracking data shows that the Ursa Major was previously known as Sparta III, suggesting a potential link between the two.

Russia has maintained military operations in Syria, with two significant facilities: the Hmeimin airbase and the Tartus naval base. These bases have played a pivotal role in Russia’s influence over the Middle East and Africa. The political shift in Syria following the recent fall of President Bashar al-Assad has raised questions about the future of these bases.

Earlier this month, Ukraine’s GUR reported that Russia had dispatched four ships, including the Sparta and Sparta II, to assist with evacuating military equipment from Syria.

Also Read: Russia Sentences American Citizen Gene Spector To 15 Years In Prison For ‘Espionage’