A Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria on Tuesday, leaving two crew members missing, according to the Spanish maritime rescue service and the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the organization, fourteen members of the Ursa Major’s crew were rescued unharmed from a lifeboat and transported to Spain. According to the Russian government, the ship began to sink after an explosion in the engine room.
The vessel was owned by SK-Yug, a subsidiary of Oboronlogistika, a Russian shipping and logistics corporation founded under Russia’s defense ministry and sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for its military ties.
According to Spanish authorities, the ship carried empty containers as well as two cranes. They have not confirmed the cause of the accident.
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Spanish authorities got an alert at 1 p.m. Monday, when the vessel was approximately 57 nautical miles from Almería in southeastern Spain. The maritime rescue agency contacted a nearby ship, which reported severe weather, a lifeboat on the water, and the Ursa Major listing.
Authorities said a Russian cruiser arrived later Monday to monitor rescue operations, and the 142-meter cargo ship sank about midnight. The Russian embassy in Spain informed RIA Novosti that it was examining the accident and was in contact with local authorities.
According to ship-spotting platform MarineTraffic.com, Ursa Major was in the western Mediterranean at the same time as Sparta, another Russian cargo ship subject to US sanctions, whose destination was Port Said in Egypt as of Tuesday.