The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on countries near a drifting LNG tanker in the Mediterranean to take responsibility for preventing an ecological disaster. Italian and Maltese authorities, however, are powerless to act.
The Arctic Metagaz , a Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel, was struck by several explosions off the Libyan coast earlier this month. All 30 crew members were rescued, but the ship sustained significant damage.
Libyan authorities initially claimed that the LNG carrier had sunk, but it quickly became apparent that the wreck was still adrift in the Mediterranean. The ship is currently believed to be near Malta and Lampedusa.
Russian authorities have called on both countries to assume their responsibilities and find a solution. Otherwise, according to Moscow, an ecological disaster is imminent.
According to CNN , the wreck contains approximately 900 tons of diesel and over 60,000 tons of LNG. Some of this gas has reportedly already spilled into the sea. Italian authorities say they are in constant contact with their Maltese counterparts regarding the situation, but no definitive solution has yet emerged.
According to CNN, the Italian coast guard has already informed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that the ship would not be able to safely dock in an Italian port. A spokesperson for the Italian Foreign Ministry described it as a » time bomb filled with gas . »
Italian and Maltese authorities are constantly patrolling the area near the wreck with tugboats. One of the options being considered is to escort the ship out to sea, where it could be sunk.
source : rtbf actus
