Russian Gas Carrier Attack in Mediterranean: 30 Crew Rescued, Ship Destroyed

A Russian LNG tanker, Arctic Metagaz, came under attack near Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, prompting Moscow to label the incident an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy.

Attack Near Maltese Waters Confirmed by Russian Authorities

The Ministry of Transport of Russia confirmed that the attack took place on March 3 near Malta's territorial waters. The vessel carried 30 crew members, all Russian citizens.

According to the ministry, the ship had departed from Murmansk with cargo documented in full compliance with international regulations. Officials stated that the strike originated from the Libyan coast and involved unmanned surface boats.

"We qualify what happened as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international maritime law.”

Ministry of Transport of Russia

The ministry stressed that joint efforts by Russian and Maltese services ensured the rescue of all 30 crew members. Authorities urged the international community to assess the incident, emphasizing that such actions, "committed with the acquiescence of authorities of EU member states,” must not go unanswered.

No Distress Signal as Fire Erupts On Board

The day before the official confirmation, Reuters reported a fire aboard the Arctic Metagaz in the Mediterranean. The agency described the vessel as a liquefied natural gas tanker but noted that it had not transmitted a distress signal. At that time, no information had emerged regarding the crew's condition or the extent of the damage.

The tanker sails under the Russian flag and, according to Western media, remains under US and UK sanctions. Data from shipping tracking services MarineTraffic and VesselFinder show that the vessel last transmitted its coordinates on March 2 while located near Malta's coast. It had previously left the port of Murmansk after loading cargo.

One source cited by Reuters suggested that a maritime drone may have carried out the strike and linked possible responsibility to Ukraine. Kyiv has issued no official comment.

The Greek publication Naftemporiki reported that explosions occurred near the vessel at around 04:00 local time, after which a fire broke out.

Crew Rescued as Scale of Damage Becomes Clear

According to the Maltese armed forces, rescuers found the sailors in a lifeboat within Libya's search-and-rescue zone. Authorities evacuated them, and preliminary reports indicate that none sustained injuries.

Additional details surfaced on the Telegram channel Fighterbomber, whose author claimed the tanker suffered six coordinated strikes: four by unmanned aerial vehicles and two by unmanned surface boats. He asserted that the strikes targeted the same section of the vessel simultaneously and aimed to destroy it completely. The post also stated that Russian sailors from another ship evacuated the crew.

The Telegram channel "Military Observer” published nighttime footage showing the vessel engulfed in flames. Fire erupted from the central section of the hull.

Photographs circulated by various sources depict severe structural damage. The hull appears scorched, and soot covers the superstructure. Later images published by the account Osinttechnical on the social network X show the tanker listing to starboard. Open flames no longer appear, but white smoke continues to rise above the deck.

"The ship turned into a smoldering heap of wreckage. The explosion nearly split it in half.”

Images indicate that the vessel sustained a massive breach on its port side. Given the tanker's length of approximately 277 meters, according to MarineTraffic data, the damaged section could span several dozen meters.

Experts from the analytical portal Neftegaz. RU suggest that the destruction may have resulted from the detonation of one of the liquefied natural gas storage tanks. The vessel uses a Mark III membrane-type containment system. The hull and deck superstructure now show clear signs of intense fire damage.

Officials have not yet released a formal technical assessment of the tanker's condition.