Italy has warned of a “serious risk of a major ecological disaster” as the Russian tanker Arctic Metagaz drifts uncontrollably through the Mediterranean.
The vessel, carrying large quantities of liquid natural gas, has no crew on board and a gaping hole in its side.
An official in Italy, one of nine EU countries that have jointly written to the European Commission urging urgent action, described the Arctic Metagaz as an “environmental bomb” waiting to go off.
The tanker, part of a shadow fleet transporting sanctioned Russian oil and gas, was severely damaged in a suspected sea drone attack near Maltese waters earlier this month.
Ukraine has not commented on reports suggesting it may have been responsible.
Now moving south away from Italian waters and the island of Lampedusa toward Libya, the tanker remains under close observation by both Italian and Maltese authorities.
Speaking on Italy’s Radio 24, Alfredo Mantovano, secretary of Italy’s Council of Ministers, said the risks from the tanker were “enormous” and warned it could “explode at any moment.”
The vessel is reported to be carrying “significant” quantities of LNG, along with 450 tonnes of fuel oil and 250 tonnes of diesel, according to an official in Rome.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was about 45 nautical miles (83 km) from Italian territorial waters and 25 miles from Libya’s designated search-and-rescue zone.
The Arctic Metagaz departed from Murmansk, Russia, in February. When it caught fire in early March, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for a “terrorist attack.”
Russia claims Ukrainian naval drones caused the damage, while Ukraine views such “shadow” Russian tankers as legitimate targets, noting that they often sail with transponders turned off to evade Western sanctions, generating revenue that fuels Moscow’s war effort.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, its bombardment of Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure has left millions without hot water or heating during winter.
Meanwhile, the number of drone attacks on Russian tankers has reportedly increased.
In December, Ukraine’s SBU intelligence said it had crippled three vessels in two weeks in the Black Sea, including the Dashan, which suffered “critical damage.” Just over a week later, the Quendil oil tanker was struck in the Mediterranean, though it was reportedly empty at the time.
Two weeks have passed since explosions and fire left the Arctic Metagaz badly damaged. The crew was rescued by the Libyan coastguard, but the tanker has continued floating, unmanned and hazardous. Libyan port officials initially claimed it had sunk.
The World Wildlife Fund has issued a “maximum alert,” warning that any spill could trigger fires and long-lasting pollution in an area of “exceptional ecological value,” home to numerous protected species.
