Russia says Ukraine attacked, sank gas tanker in Mediterranean
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the sinking of a Russian gas tanker in the Mediterranean Sea was the result of a terrorist attack by Ukraine. The tanker sank between Libya and Malta after explosions and fire were observed by Libyan port officials. File Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA
March 4 (UPI) — A Russian liquefied natural gas tanker sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday after catching fire from what Russian officials said was an attack by Ukrainian drones.
Libyan port officials said there were explosions on the ship and it ultimately erupted in flames between Libya and Malta. The tanker was carrying about 62,000 metric ton of liquefied natural gas.
Thirty crew members were rescued and no deaths have been reported, TASS Russian News Agency reports.
Ukraine‘s security service has not commented on the incident.
The Russian Transport Ministry said in a statement that the tanker was attacked by unmanned Ukrainian boats.
The tanker was about 130 nautical miles north of the Sirte, Libya, port when it sank. It departed from the port of Murmansk, Russia.
“We qualify what happened as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international maritime law,” the Russian Transport Ministry said in a statement.
“Such criminal actions, carried out with the connivance of the authorities of European Union member states, must not remain without assessment by the international community.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed the statement of the transport ministry, calling it a “terrorist attack.”
The ministry adds that the tanker was operating in “full compliance with all international regulations.”