Kathrine Frich
A fleet of unregulated ghost ships currently roam the global oceans to bypass international sanctions.
These aging vessels present a horrific environmental danger to coastal communities everywhere.
Sometimes, the cargo hidden deep inside their rusted hulls poses an even deadlier threat than an oil spill.
A suspicious voyage
In late December 2024, a Russian cargo ship called the Ursa Major vanished roughly sixty miles off the Spanish coast. The vessel officially carried over a hundred empty shipping containers and two massive construction cranes.
But the official shipping paperwork clearly hid a darker truth. According to a CNN investigation cited by the Kyiv Post, the ship departed Russia shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dispatched troops to support the invasion of Ukraine.
The Portuguese Navy kept a very close eye on the vessel as it sailed down the European coastline. Two fully armed Russian military ships escorted the heavy transport along the way.
Sudden underwater blasts
The journey met a very violent end. Spanish investigators told CNN that three massive blasts ripped through the starboard side of the ship near the engine room, ultimately killing two crew members.
Fourteen survivors quickly escaped in a lifeboat. Spanish rescue teams then boarded the heavily listing vessel and actually found it relatively stable at first.
That stability did not last very long. The Russian military escort suddenly ordered all nearby boats away. CNN reports that seismic sensors then detected four underwater blasts, sending the ship straight to the bottom.
A deadly cargo
The surviving Russian captain finally admitted the terrifying reality. He told Spanish government officials the hull held “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines.”
The captain also suggested the final destination was likely the North Korean port of Rason. CNN noted that investigators questioned why Moscow would use a long maritime route for empty containers instead of its vast rail network.
American forces took the potential threat very seriously. Public flight data showed a specialized US Air Force plane flying directly over the wreck site twice in the following days.
A spokesperson for the 55th Wing confirmed to CNN that this specific aircraft supports “nuclear debris collection and analysis.” Fortunately, the Spanish government reported absolutely no radioactive contamination along its southern shores.
Sources: Kyiv Post, CNN, Spanish government, Portuguese Navy, US Air Force 55th Wing
