Italy, France and 7 different international locations have knowledgeable the European Fee {that a} Russian LNG tanker drifting within the Mediterranean poses an environmental menace and have referred to as for quick motion.
Supply: Reuters, close to the letter from EU states to the European Fee, as reported by European Pravda
Particulars: Russia's International Ministry confirmed that the vessel is drifting within the Mediterranean and stated Moscow's additional involvement in resolving the scenario would rely upon particular circumstances.
The EU international locations' letter to the European Fee states that the ship Arctic Metagaz is drifting in waters between Malta and Italy.
"The precarious situation of the vessel, mixed with the character of its specialised cargo, offers rise to an imminent and critical threat of a significant ecological catastrophe within the coronary heart of the Union's maritime area," the letter says.
The EU stated the ship is a part of Russia's shadow fleet, used to bypass sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated Moscow is in touch with the vessel's proprietor and with international competent authorities. In response to Zakharova, there is no such thing as a crew on board, whereas the ship carries 700 tonnes of assorted varieties of gasoline and "a considerable quantity of pure gasoline".
"The worldwide authorized norms relevant to the present scenario suggest the duty of coastal international locations … for resolving the scenario with the drifting vessel and stopping an environmental catastrophe," Zakharova wrote.
Background:
- Earlier this month, Russia's Transport Ministry stated the Arctic Metagaz, which had been carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones in early March, claiming the weapons had been launched from the Libyan coast.
- Italy doesn’t need the tanker to dock at certainly one of its ports and hopes that the Russian administration firm will rent a specialised agency to tow the vessel to a secure location.
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