Off the coast of Spain, the Russian vessel Ursa Major sank while transporting military equipment. This incident occurred on December 23 after an explosion in the ship's engine room, which caused it to capsize. Reports TSN. This information was provided by Kontakty.UA.
According to La Verdad, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in international waters between Aguillas and Oran (Algeria). The maritime rescue service transported 14 crew members to the port of Cartagena. In total, there were 16 crew members aboard Ursa Major. Two sailors are considered missing.
Sources indicate that an explosion occurred on the ship at 12:30 PM, prompting the area to be marked as dangerous for navigation until a Russian military vessel arrived to assist with the rescue.
Several fishing vessels operating in the area participated in the rescue efforts, later joined by maritime rescue specialists aboard the ship Clara Campoamor and the patrol boat of the Navy, Serviola.
The captain of Ursa Major stated that the ship was carrying containers that were empty at the time of the accident. The vessel was in transit between Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok. It departed on December 11 and was scheduled to arrive on January 22.
It is noteworthy that the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major ("Great Bear") is one of the officially registered vessels capable of transporting heavy military equipment. It was spotted in the Syrian port of Tartus during the summer and later visited a port in Iran. The ship is owned by the Russian company "Oboronlogistika," which handles transportation and servicing for the Russian military industry. The company has been sanctioned by the USA, Ukraine, Canada, the EU, and the UK. However, this does not prevent the Ursa Major from navigating European waters carrying military cargo for Russia.
Additionally, on December 23, Ukraine's Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate reported that a cargo ship named Sparta, which the Russians sent to transport their weapons and equipment out of Syria, had broken down in open waters near Portugal.