The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, placed under US sanctions in 2022, sank in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion in its engine room, Russia’s foreign ministry confirmed. The incident occurred on December 23, 2024, between Oran in Algeria and Águilas, Spain. Fourteen crew members were rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena, while two others remain missing.
The ship, owned by Oboronlogistika, was en route from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, reportedly carrying two 380-tonne cranes for the Far East port. However, its true destination remains unverified, and its last port call at Tartous, Syria, was recorded in July. Oboronlogistika, heavily involved in transporting goods to Russia’s military facilities in Tartous, had described the vessel as the flagship of its fleet.
Before its sinking, the Spanish maritime rescue agency Salvamento Marítimo reported that 14 crew members were safely evacuated via a lifeboat. A Russian warship later arrived to oversee the rescue operation. Video footage from the tanker Ross Sea, verified by BBC, showed the Ursa Major listing severely before it ultimately sank early on December 24.
The incident highlights growing maritime complications for Russian cargo ships operating under sanctions. The Ursa Major—formerly known as Sparta III—had been subject to US sanctions for its role in delivering supplies to the Russian military after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The vessel’s sinking comes amid broader concerns about Russian military logistics in the Mediterranean. The Ursa Major was operating near another sanctioned Russian vessel, the Sparta, which has faced repeated mechanical issues over the past week. The Sparta was reported to have been heading to Russia’s naval base in Tartous to transport military equipment, following geopolitical shifts in Syria.
Despite the Kremlin’s reassurances that it is coordinating diplomatically and militarily with Syria’s new leadership regarding its military facilities, incidents like the Ursa Major explosion raise questions about the vulnerabilities of sanctioned Russian vessels operating in international waters.
The explosion’s cause remains unclear, but it underscores the ongoing risks faced by Russian maritime operations, particularly under sanctions and amid heightened scrutiny. The sinking of the Ursa Major marks a significant logistical loss for Oboronlogistika and further complicates Russia’s maritime transport strategy.
As investigations continue, the incident has reignited discussions around the challenges of navigating geopolitical tensions and maritime safety in the Mediterranean region. The economic and strategic implications of the loss add another layer of complexity to an already fraught international maritime landscape.