A Russian oil tanker that was destroyed by a drone attack in the Mediterranean Sea, between Malta and Italy, is creating the risk of an environmental disaster due to a large hole in its hull.
The case gained importance because of the combination of the size of the vessel and the volume of cargo being transported. Around 900 tons of diesel and more than 60,000 tons of liquefied natural gas are on board.
In addition to the immediate impact on navigation, this scenario increases the danger of fires, leaks and sea contamination. There is also great concern among authorities in Italy that the wind-driven movement will take the ship even closer to Italian territory.
Italian authorities began treating the tanker as a “gas-filled time bomb.” The expression demonstrates the growing fear that any worsening, whether due to a change in climate, structural failure or collision, could trigger a large-scale event.
The ship, which departed from Murmansk, in the Russian Arctic, was heading to Egypt when it was hit by a drone on March 3, 2026. According to the agency Reutersthe Russian Ministry of Transport attributed the attack to Ukrainian naval drones. So far, there has been no official comment from Kiev on the accusation.
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All 30 crew members were rescued by a lifeboat and taken to Benghazi, Libya. However, from that point on, the ship was left adrift at sea without any direct control. Because of this, the case left the military scope and began to be treated as a problem related to environmental protection and regional security.
Last Friday (13), Italian naval authorities addressed the situation in a special session with the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, energy, navy and civil protection, as well as the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
Both Italy and Malta have sent tugs and anti-pollution assets that are ready to intervene if necessary. However, ultimately the responsibility for salvage lies with the ship owner, the LLC SMP Techmanagementbut neither Italian nor Maltese authorities have confirmed any contact with the group.
Photos: Telegram @war_home. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
