EU warns of environmental threat due to Russian tanker in Mediterranean Sea
Illustrative photo: a Russian tanker drifting in the Mediterranean Sea (Getty Images)
Italy, France, and seven other European Union countries have appealed to the European Commission with a warning about a potential environmental threat caused by a damaged Russian liquefied natural gas tanker drifting in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Reuters.
The letter states that the vessel’s technical condition, combined with the nature of its cargo, poses a serious risk to the environment.
"The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Union's maritime space," the document says.
In this regard, the countries urged the European Commission to take immediate measures to address the situation.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Transport, the tanker Arctic Metagas, which was carrying liquefied natural gas from the Arctic port of Murmansk, allegedly came under attack earlier this month by Ukrainian naval drones launched from the coast of Libya.
At the same time, Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the incident.
On March 3, the Russian tanker Arctic Metagas, carrying liquefied natural gas, caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea. Media outlets reported that the incident may have occurred after an attack by a naval drone, although there has been no official confirmation. The vessel, which is under US and UK sanctions, was sailing near the coast of Malta at the time of the incident.
