Authorities in Malta have activated an emergency contingency plan as a damaged Russian tanker carrying hundreds of tonnes of fuel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) drifts toward the island’s waters.
The 244-metre tanker Arctic Metagaz was reported about 50 nautical miles southeast of Malta on Saturday after suffering a suspected missile strike on March 3.
Officials fear shifting winds could push the vessel toward the western coast of Gozo by Sunday evening or Monday, raising environmental and maritime safety concerns.
The ship is carrying around 700 tonnes of fuel and had four LNG tanks, two of which were destroyed in explosions reported earlier this week.
Despite the blast damage, the vessel is considered stable for now and unlikely to sink in the immediate future.
The emergency response is being coordinated by Transport Malta with the involvement of the Armed Forces of Malta, the Civil Protection Department and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Authorities in Italy are also cooperating in monitoring and response efforts, while discussions are ongoing with the European Commission.
Several tugboats have been placed on standby to prevent the tanker from entering Maltese territorial waters, with the armed forces monitoring its movements several times a day.
Fishermen have also been warned to keep their distance from the drifting vessel as a precaution.
Officials say the preferred option is to tow the ship away from the area, although a suitable destination has not yet been identified.
Boarding the tanker is currently considered unsafe because explosions were still reported on board as recently as Friday.
The vessel has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for allegedly forming part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to transport oil and gas while bypassing Western restrictions.
Environmental concerns remain high, particularly the risk of a fuel spill that could threaten Malta’s reverse osmosis plants, which supply most of the country’s drinking water.
Source: medNews
