A Russian liquefied natural gas tanker, the Arctic Metagaz LNG Tanker, has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Malta after explosions triggered a massive fire, according to Libyan port officials. The vessel reportedly went down about 130 nautical miles (240km) north of the Libyan port city of Sirte.
Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attacking the tanker using uncrewed sea drones launched from the Libyan coast. However, Ukraine’s security agency, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), declined to comment on the allegation. Libyan port officials also said the exact cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.
Officials in Libya stated that the tanker was carrying approximately 62,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas when the explosions occurred. The vessel had reportedly departed from Murmansk in northern Russia and was believed to be heading toward Port Said in Egypt.
According to Russia’s transport ministry, 30 Russian crew members were on board the ship. Byron Camilleri, the Home Affairs Minister of Malta, confirmed that all crew members were found “safe and sound in a lifeboat” following a rescue operation conducted by Malta’s armed forces.
Unverified night-time footage circulating online appears to show the tanker engulfed in flames shortly after the incident, which reportedly took place on Tuesday. Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian blogger and adviser to Ukraine’s defence minister, shared images he claimed were of the damaged tanker, saying it had a “serious hole in the engine room compartment and is beyond repair.” The source of the images has not been independently verified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the incident as a “terrorist attack” in remarks broadcast on state television. Russia’s transport ministry also labeled the event “an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy,” and accused the European Union of complicity, though it provided no evidence for the claim.
The tanker was reportedly part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a group of vessels used to transport oil and gas while bypassing international sanctions. Many of these ships are older vessels with unclear ownership structures and insurance arrangements.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022), Ukraine has carried out several attacks on Russian vessels using naval drones. However, most of these operations have taken place in the Black Sea, making the latest incident in the Mediterranean particularly unusual.
