The ship suffered a sequence of explosions.
The ship has reportedly gone lacking (Picture: PA)
A Russian ship probably carrying nuclear reactors to North Korea mysteriously exploded and sank 60 miles off the coast of Spain. The Ursa Main went down within the Mediterranean Sea on December 23, 2024, after struggling three explosions on its starboard aspect, in keeping with a CNN investigation citing Spanish authorities and sources aware of the probe.
CNN reported the vessel might have been transporting parts for 2 submarine nuclear reactors to the North Korean port of Rason. The incident got here simply months after Kim Jong Un despatched troops to help Russia’s warfare effort in Ukraine. Spain’s authorities later confirmed the Russian captain advised investigators the cargo included “parts for 2 nuclear reactors much like these utilized in submarines”. Based on CNN, the captain initially described the cargo as “manhole covers” earlier than allegedly admitting their true nature underneath questioning. The vessel had departed from St Petersburg on December 11 with a public manifest itemizing two massive cranes, 129 empty containers and two outsized “manhole covers”. The ship was formally certain for Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East.
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The Russian cargo ship Ursa Main is pictured throughout a monitoring operation (Picture: Portuguese Navy/AFP through Getty Im)
Investigators reportedly questioned why Russia would transport such restricted cargo by sea throughout the globe when it might have used its personal rail community.
The ship was escorted via European waters by two Russian army vessels, together with the Ivan Gren and the Aleksandr Otrakovsky.
Portuguese naval plane tracked the convoy earlier than shedding contact shortly earlier than the explosions.
CNN reported the Ursa Main immediately slowed in Spanish waters on December 22, however the crew initially denied being in misery.
Round 24 hours later, the Ursa Main sharply veered off beam earlier than issuing a misery name at 11:53am UTC on December 23.
Investigators mentioned the ship had suffered three explosions on its starboard aspect, believed to be close to the engine room, killing two crew members and leaving the vessel motionless and closely itemizing.
Yantar reportedly returned to the wreck website of the Ursa Main days after the sinking (Picture: MOD/AFP through Getty Pictures)
Two crew members had been killed within the blasts, whereas 14 survivors escaped in a lifeboat and had been rescued by Spanish authorities.
Footage seen by CNN confirmed a Spanish rescuer making an attempt to enter the ship’s engine room, solely to search out it sealed shut.
The rescuer additionally searched the residing quarters and inspected containers onboard, with two reportedly crammed with garbage, fishing nets and gear.
A subsequent investigation reportedly discovered a 50cm by 50cm gap within the vessel’s hull, with steel bent inward.
Spanish investigators are mentioned to be inspecting whether or not the injury might have been brought on by a high-speed “supercavitating” torpedo or explosive gadget.
Solely the US, Russia, Iran and a handful of NATO allies are believed to own the high-speed torpedoes, which use air bubbles to cut back water resistance and punch via a ship’s hull at excessive velocity.
4 additional explosions had been later detected after the Ivan Gren reportedly fired pink flares over the scene, CNN mentioned.
Russia’s state-linked ship proprietor Oboronlogistics later described the sinking as a “focused terrorist assault”
The Russian house owners of the ship, Oboronlogistics, together with the Russian, Spanish and British militaries, didn’t reply to requests for remark, whereas the Pentagon declined to remark.
CNN mentioned a number of Western intelligence and safety officers described the incident as “unusual” and questioned components of the Spanish investigation, however supplied no different rationalization for the blasts or Russia’s response.
The thriller deepened after a suspected Russian spy ship, the Yantar, returned to the wreck website for 5 days.
4 additional explosions had been later detected, probably aimed on the wreckage on the seabed.
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CNN additionally reported that uncommon US WC135-R “nuke sniffer” plane flew over the wreck space twice following the sinking.
The plane are usually used to detect radioactive materials and monitor nuclear exercise.
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