The Russian-owned Ursa Major ship in the Mediterranean sank as a result of a terrorist act, according to the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti.
Ria bases its information on the statement of Oboronlogistika, the state-owned company that owns the ship. In its statement, the shipping company did not take a position on which entity carried out the attack. Nor did it provide any evidence to support its claim.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, there was an explosion in the ship’s engine room. The accident happened early on Christmas Eve in the sea area between Spain and Algeria.
Oboronlogistika emphasized in its statement that the ship did not sink due to overloading. According to the company, the ship had 806 tons of cargo at the time of the accident. The ship’s total capacity is 9,500 tons, the company says.