Russian gas tanker drifting in the Mediterranean Sea threatens ecological disaster
17.03.2026 - 10:34
Italy, France and seven other countries have appealed to the European Commission for urgent action.
The damaged gas tanker “Arctic Metagas”, which was left without a crew after the attack, is drifting in the Mediterranean Sea and could pose a serious threat to the environment and shipping safety, writes DW.
In a letter to the European Commission, nine countries warned that the technical condition of the vessel and the nature of its cargo pose an immediate threat of a major environmental accident in the actual center of the European Union’s waters.
According to the Russian side, the crew abandoned the vessel after the attack on March 3. At that time, 450 tons of heavy fuel oil, 250 tons of diesel fuel, as well as a significant amount of natural gas remained on board. It is reported that the vessel has serious damage, and local fire centers are being recorded on it.
Currently, the “Arctic Metagas” is drifting freely in the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the shipowner is monitoring its location, and the authorized Russian authorities are allegedly in contact with the owner and competent foreign services.
At the same time, the Maltese authorities have been warning for several days that the uncontrolled vessel poses a danger to other ships in the area. According to Italian media, Italian Navy ships are near the gas tanker – a tugboat and a specialized vessel with equipment for eliminating pollution.
In turn, Russia claims that the responsibility for resolving the situation lies primarily with the coastal states. Moscow claims that the gas tanker was attacked near the territorial waters of Malta. The Russian Ministry of Transport stated that the vessel was sailing from Murmansk, and the attack was allegedly carried out by Ukrainian unmanned boats from the coast of Libya.
As a reminder, the Arctic Metagas is among the vessels used to transport sanctioned liquefied gas from the Russian Arctic LNG-2 project to China. Since 2024, the vessel has been under US and UK sanctions, and the EU considers it part of the Russian “shadow fleet.”
