VALLETTA, Malta: Ukraine attacked a liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier, which Russia claims is in the Mediterranean, is blackened by fire with two large holes in the hull, AFP footage showed Sunday (Mar 15).
The 277-metre-long Arctic Metagaz has been drifting without a crew since a series of explosions scuppered the vessel off Libya on Mar 3.
On Sunday lunchtime, it was nearly 92 kilometres southwest of Malta.
AFP footage taken from a plane showed it listing onto one side, parts of it blackened and seriously damaged by fire, with two holes either side in the middle of the hull.
Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack on the ship, which had been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for being one of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
The fleet is made up of ageing tankers that carry Russia’s oil and gas around the world, skirting Western restrictions.
Russia said that all 30 crew members had been rescued. Ukraine, which Moscow invaded in February 2022, has not commented.
Authorities in Malta and Italy have been monitoring the passage of the wreck, amid pollution fears.
Rome has said the ship was carrying “significant quantities of gas, heavy oil, and diesel fuel”.
Libya’s port authority said the ship had been carrying roughly 62,000 metric tonnes of LNG intended for Egypt.