Damaged Russian LNG tanker drifts toward Italy, sparking fears of ecological disaster
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Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz, damaged earlier this month, drifting without the crew (Photo: Marina Militare/Handout via REUTERS)
Damaged Russian LNG tanker is drifting in the central Mediterranean Sea, creating an "imminent and severe" risk of an ecological disaster, Italy, France, and seven other nations warned the European Commission, CNN reported on March 16.
The crisis highlights the growing danger of Moscow's "shadow fleet." Because the abandoned vessel is laden with explosive gas and hundreds of tons of toxic fuel, its uncontrolled drift threatens to cause a massive environmental and maritime disaster right on Europe's shores.
The vessel is in the waters between Malta and the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Linosa. In a letter to the European Commission, the EU countries emphasized that the tanker's technical condition and the nature of its cargo create a dual problem for maritime safety and the environment.
About 700 tons of various fuels and a "significant volume of natural gas" remain on board. The tanker has no crew. The Russian Foreign Ministry acknowledged that the vessel is drifting and said that Moscow's further actions will depend on "specific circumstances."
Italian authorities earlier reported that 30 crew members were evacuated after the incident. According to Reuters sources, the damage is located above the waterline, and the hull is holding for now, but the vessel remains potentially dangerous. Italy does not want to allow it to enter its ports.
The incident occurred on March 3. According to the Russian version, the tanker suffered an attack by naval drones allegedly launched from the Libyan coast. Kyiv did not claim responsibility for this and did not publicly confirm the attack.
Reuters reported on March 3, citing sources, that the vessel was burning in the Mediterranean Sea, and the crew was found in a lifeboat in Libya's zone of responsibility.
As of March 16, 2026, EU countries called for a rapid response, but simultaneously admitted that the sanctions regime against Russia complicates any technical assistance to the tanker. Reuters materials describe the Arctic Metagaz as part of the Russian "shadow fleet," which is used to bypass restrictions following Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
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