Camilla Jessen
The Arctic Metagaz was found burning off Malta.
A Russian flagged tanker carrying liquefied natural gas caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea.
The ship, called the Arctic Metagaz, is under sanctions from the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Shipping and maritime security sources told Reuters that the vessel was on fire and that the crew had abandoned it.
Data from the MarineTraffic tracking platform showed the tanker’s last reported position was off the coast of Malta on Monday.
Crew found in lifeboat
The Armed Forces of Malta said their Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted to a distress call while the ship was sailing outside the Malta Search and Rescue Region.
“Upon receipt of the alert, RCC Malta initiated verification procedures and efforts to establish the exact position of the vessel,” the statement said.
Maltese authorities then worked with other ships and international partners to locate the crew.
The survivors were found in a lifeboat in the Libyan Search and Rescue Region. “All crew members were reported safely aboard the lifeboat,” the Armed Forces of Malta said.
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Cause not confirmed
One maritime security source told Reuters that the tanker may have been attacked by a naval drone.
The source said Ukraine could be behind the operation. There has been no official confirmation of the cause of the fire.
The investigation into what happened is ongoing.
Sources: Reuters, gCaptain, Armed Forces of Malta, MarineTraffic, Digi24
