A damaged Russian gas tanker that has been drifting in the Mediterranean without a crew for almost two weeks has 700 tonnes of fuel on board, Russia's foreign ministry said Monday.
A series of explosions rocked the 277-metre-long Arctic Metagaz on March 3, causing serious damage to the vessel and forcing its crew to evacuate.
Russia said the ship, sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for being part of Moscow's "shadow fleet", was attacked by Ukrainian sea drones. Ukraine has not commented.
"The vessel itself has sustained serious damage: banging sounds are being heard on board, gas emissions are being reported, the ship is listing more rapidly and localised fires have been spotted," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
"At the time the vessel was abandoned, fuel (450 metric tonnes of heavy fuel and 250 metric tonnes of diesel fuel), as well as a significant amount of natural gas, remained in its bunker tanks," she added.
AFP footage from Sunday showed the ship drifting around 50 nautical miles southwest of Malta, its stern and hull blackened by fire.
Any spill could cause long-lasting pollution in the area, among the most biodiverse in the Mediterranean basin, the WWF environmental group reported Friday.
Salvage experts are in Malta in preparation for the ship's arrival in Maltese waters, a maritime source told AFP on Sunday.
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...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FREEZE WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM CDT
WEDNESDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with
gusts up to 30 mph. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing
temperatures as low as 26 expected.
* WHERE...A portion of central Alabama.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 7 PM CDT this evening. For the
Freeze Warning, from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and
freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and
possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
&&
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FREEZE WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM CDT
WEDNESDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with
gusts up to 30 mph. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing
temperatures as low as 26 expected.
* WHERE...A portion of central Alabama.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 7 PM CDT this evening. For the
Freeze Warning, from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and
freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and
possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
&&
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