Damaged Russian Tanker Drifts in Mediterranean After Drone Strike

A crewless Russian fuel tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, has been drifting uncontrollably in the central Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Malta since early March, raising alarms over a potential environmental catastrophe after an alleged drone attack left it damaged and adrift.

The 277-meter vessel, flagged in Russia and carrying approximately 900 metric tons of diesel fuel along with more than 60,000 metric tons of liquefied natural gas, was struck by maritime and aerial drones on March 3 in international waters about 168 nautical miles southeast of Malta. Russian officials, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the transport ministry, attributed the attack to Ukrainian naval drones launched from the Libyan coast, describing it as an act of terrorism and a violation of international law. Ukraine has not issued any statement on the matter. The ship's 30 crew members, some suffering from burns, abandoned the vessel after a fire erupted and were rescued from a lifeboat by the Libyan Coast Guard, with assistance from the Russian embassy in Libya. They were taken to the port of Benghazi for safety.

Surveillance footage captured the tanker listing heavily to one side, its hull...