Disabled Russian tanker M.T. Arctic Metagaz adrift in the Mediterranean

The Russian liquefied gas tanker M.T. Arctic Metagaz is currently adrift between Malta and the Italian island of Lampedusa following an incident in early March. Libyan port authorities reported that the vessel caught fire after explosions on the night of March 3-4 and claimed it had sunk north of Sirte. However, Maltese authorities dispute this, stating that the vessel has not fully submerged and remains a hazard to navigation. President Vladimir Putin has characterized the incident as a terrorist attack by Kyiv, while Ukrainian officials have not issued a formal comment. All 30 crew members were rescued following the event. The vessel is part of the Russian 'shadow fleet' subject to US and EU sanctions for bypassing trade restrictions. Malta has warned passing ships to maintain a distance of at least five nautical miles from the drifting wreck. The tanker is currently located in international waters, with its position shifting based on current GPS coordinates provided by Valletta.