Russian tanker adrift in Mediterranean poses 'imminent and serious' threat, EU states say

A Russian natural gas tanker adrift in the Mediterranean Sea represents an "imminent and serious" ecological threat, several European nations have warned.

The Arctic Metagaz has been drifting in waters between Malta and Italy, European Union (EU) states, including France and Italy, said in a letter to the European Commission. Earlier this month, Russia's Transport Ministry said the vessel, which was carrying liquefied natural gas from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones, which it claimed had been launched from the Libyan coast.

On 4 March, Libya's maritime agency reported that the vessel had sunk in waters between Libya and Malta after catching fire a day before. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

The letter to the European Commission said the state of the Arctic Metagaz poses the "dual challenge" of upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster while maintaining EU sanctions imposed on Russia. "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 letter said.

The EU said the vessel was part of Russia's "shadow fleet.