EU leaders urge urgent action for drifting Russian LNG tanker
Five southern European countries urged the European Commission on March 18 to move quickly on an unmanned Russian tanker drifting in the Mediterranean, warning that the vessel could trigger a major ecological disaster. In a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the leaders of Italy, Spain, Malta, Greece and Cyprus asked the Commission to activate the bloc’s civil protection mechanism, according to a letter whose contents were confirmed by Spain’s government.
The letter, described by AP, says the vessel poses an “imminent and serious risk” of a major ecological disaster, citing both the tanker’s precarious condition and the nature of its specialized cargo. The leaders framed the request as an urgent need for coordinated action at the European level, including rapid mobilization of resources.
AP reported that, in addition to Spain’s government, three EU government officials confirmed the contents of the letter. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they said they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The tanker identified in the letter is the Arctic Metagaz, which AP said is associated with Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports sanctioned fossil fuels. The vessel carries liquefied natural gas and, AP reported, was badly damaged in a suspected sea drone attack near Maltese waters earlier in March.
AP said that, in early March, Russia blamed a Ukrainian sea drone attack for hitting one of its tankers carrying LNG in the Mediterranean off Libya. The Arctic Metagaz case involves the continued risk posed by the damaged ship itself, which AP reported now is drifting without crew.
In the letter, the five leaders also highlighted risks associated with vessels operating outside international standards, warning of threats to maritime safety and the environment across the Mediterranean. They said they intended to raise the issue at this week’s European Council meeting and expressed willingness to cooperate with the Commission to reach what the letter called “a swift, European-led resolution.”
Italian officials raised additional warnings about the immediate area around the tanker. AP reported that Italy’s undersecretary to the premier’s office, Alfredo Mantovano, told an Italian radio program on Monday that Malta had imposed a ban on approaching within 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) of the tanker “because the vessel could explode at any moment.”
AP reported that earlier in the week the tanker was adrift between Malta and the Sicilian island of Lampedusa and that, by Wednesday, it was moving closer to Libya, with Maltese media reporting its progress. AP also said that while all crew members survived, the damaged tanker now drifts carrying LNG and other fuels.