Damaged Russian gas tanker drifting west of Malta, Transport Malta says

The damaged Russian gas tanker Arctic Metagaz is drifting west of Malta, Transport Malta said, with the vessel now seemingly approaching Lampedusa.

In a series of notices to mariners issued on Wednesday and Thursday, Transport Malta’s Ports and Yachting Directorate warned mariners that the drifting vessel is “not under command” and operating without an NUC signal. This is a visual signal typically used to indicate that a vessel is unable to manoeuvre.

“Mariners are instructed to keep five nautical miles away from the vessel at all times,” the notices say.

The tanker was badly damaged in an apparent attack early last week as it carried large quantities of natural gas across the Mediterranean.

The sanctioned tanker formed part of Russia’s shadow fleet, a clandestine network of vessels used to transport gas and oil while evading international sanctions.

Russia has since pinned the blame for the attack on Ukraine.

Maltese authorities were first alerted to the incident on March 4, when the ship was located some 150 nautical miles south-east of Malta.

The tanker, which was abandoned by its 30 crew members, has continued to drift blindly since then, with coordinates listed in the notice to mariners showing how far it has drifted with the tide.

A new image published by shipping news site TradeWinds show the damaged tanker still afloat on Sunday.

The damaged tanker on Sunday March 8. Photo: TradeWinds.com

Tanker now 61 nautical miles from Malta

According to coordinates provided in a notice issued on Thursday, the tanker is now roughly 61 nautical miles (or 114 kilometres) from Malta’s western coast.

An earlier notice, published on Wednesday, showed the vessel closer to Malta’s territorial waters, just 54 nautical miles off the coast, suggesting the tanker has continued to drift away from the island since then.

Sources told Times of Malta that the tanker had come as close as 22 nautical miles from Malta’s shores earlier this week.

The tanker's current location according to coordinates issued by Transport Malta. Image: Google Earth

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Robert Abela said Malta had developed a “contingency plan” and was ready to act, if necessary.

According to sources, the tanker, which is still carrying some quantity of gas on board, still poses a safety risk, particularly due to fears of further explosions on board.

Maritime lawyers who spoke to Times of Malta described the legal and logistical headache that a sanctioned tanker entering Maltese waters would pose, however, this prospect appears increasingly unlikely as the tide carries the vessel away from Malta’s shores.

It remains unclear whether either Russian authorities or the ship’s owners are planning to secure and salvage the wreck.