Mediterranean states say adrift Russian tanker poses 'imminent and serious' threat

BRUSSELS, March 16 (Reuters) - Italy, France and seven other nations told the European Commission that a Russian liquefied natural gas tanker adrift in ​the Mediterranean represents an ecological threat, and they urged swift action, a letter ‌showed on Monday.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged that the vessel was adrift in the Mediterranean and said Russia’s further involvement in resolving the situation depended on “concrete circumstances”.

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The letter from EU states to the European Commission ​said the Arctic Metagaz was drifting in waters between Malta and Italy. Its ​state posed a “dual challenge” – upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster ⁠against the background of EU sanctions imposed on Russia.

“The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with ​the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of ​a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Union’s maritime space,” the letter seen by Reuters said.

The EU said the vessel was part of Russia’s “Shadow Fleet” intended to circumvent sanctions imposed in connection ​with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Action to resolve the situation, including surveillance, monitoring and other ​technical support, risked “undermining the integrity, effectiveness and the deterrent value of the EU sanctions regime”.

Russian Foreign Ministry ‌spokeswoman ⁠Maria Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry website that Moscow was in touch with the vessel’s owner and foreign “competent bodies”. It had no crew, she said, and was carrying 700 metric tons of different types of fuel and “a substantial amount of natural gas”.

“The ​international legal norms applicable ​to the current ⁠situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries … for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster,” Zakharova wrote.

“Further ​involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will ​depend on the ⁠specific circumstances.”

Russia’s Transport Ministry earlier this month said the Arctic Metagaz, carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones and said the weapons had been launched from the Libyan ⁠coast.

Libya’s ​maritime agency reported on March 4 that the vessel ​sank in waters between Libya and Malta after catching fire a day earlier. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for ​any such attack.

Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Ron Popeski and David Gregorio

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