Russia Accuses Norwegian Ship Of Ignoring Sinking Vessel With 16 Crew Members, Company Disagrees

A Norwegian shipping company has denied accusations from Russian official Dmitry Medvedev that one of its vessels refused to help sailors from a sinking Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Russian ship, Ursa Major, sank on Monday between Spain and Algeria after three explosions damaged its hull. The explosions were described as “an act of terrorism” by the ship’s owner Oboronlogistika.

The Ursa Major was carrying 16 crew members with 14 of them taking a lifeboat after the ship began sinking.

Medvedev, Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, accused the Norwegian-flagged vessel, Oslo Carrier 3, of refusing to help the distressed sailors. He called the alleged refusal “outrageous” and said it was something that could not be forgiven.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also said that if the accusations were true, it would be a violation of maritime laws and would deserve strong condemnation.

However, Bulkshhip Management AS, the company that operates Oslo Carrier 3, rejected the accusations. The company said that Spain’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) had instructed the ship’s captain not to take the Russian sailors on board, as a rescue boat was already on the way.

The company said that the lifeboat was kept alongside Oslo Carrier 3 until the rescue boat arrived. It also said that the weather was good, and there was no immediate danger to the sailors in the lifeboat.

The Ursa Major had been on a mission for Russia’s Defense Ministry when it sank. The ship had left St. Petersburg 12 days before the incident and was on its way to Vladivostok, carrying two 380-tonne cranes.

Medvedev says that the refusal to help was part of a pattern followed in Europe against Russian actions.

The Ursa Major was built in 2009 and has been under sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

This sinking is not the first one to have faced challenges in the Mediterranean. Another Russian Ship, Sparta, had issues earlier in December. The Ursa Major was in the same area as Sparta, which led to confusion over which ship was involved in previous reports.

Meanwhile, Finnish authorities have detained a ship carrying Russian oil in the Baltic Sea. They are investigating whether the ship damaged an undersea power cable and internet lines, considering it as possible sabotage.

References: Reuters, WION

Source: Maritime Shipping News