Damaged Russian Tanker Rescued in Mediterranean After Drone Strike

Libyan officials have successfully towed a fire-damaged Russian natural gas tanker to safety after it drifted in Mediterranean waters for three weeks. The vessel was reportedly struck by Ukrainian naval drones and is part of Russia's sanctions-evading fleet.

CAIRO (AP) — Officials in Libya completed a rescue operation Tuesday to tow a damaged Russian natural gas vessel that had been floating aimlessly in Mediterranean waters for nearly a month following what authorities believe was a drone strike.

The vessel, known as the Arctic Metagaz, operates as part of what experts call Russia’s “shadow fleet” — ships that transport energy products while circumventing international sanctions imposed due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Coast guard officials from Libya reported that the liquefied natural gas carrier was successfully pulled toward a secure area near Zuwara, located along Libya’s western shoreline.

Footage released Tuesday by Libyan officials captured a tugboat pulling the compromised vessel with heavy rope. The tanker appeared to be listing to one side, its hull blackened from fire damage.

Libya’s National Oil Corp. announced over the weekend that it was working alongside Italian energy firm Eni to safely guide the damaged vessel to shore and prevent an ecological disaster.

The Libyan oil company stated it had implemented “all procedures … to reduce environmental risks and prevent any potential leakage or negative impacts.”

Moscow officials confirmed that Ukrainian naval drones struck and severely damaged the Arctic Metagaz in waters near Malta. All 30 crew members aboard were successfully evacuated. Ukrainian officials have not issued any statement regarding the incident.

The vessel sustained the drone attack earlier this month. Libya’s Maritime Authority reported at the time that the tanker suffered “sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire” while positioned roughly 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the Libyan city of Sirte. The maritime agency initially and incorrectly announced that the vessel had gone down.

Despite the damage, the Arctic Metagaz continued to float and was carried by ocean currents and wind patterns toward Libya’s coastline, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, an international environmental group.

The conservation organization warned Monday that the tanker remained “highly unstable” and posed “significant environmental risks for one of the Mediterranean’s most fragile and biodiversity-rich marine areas.”