Damaged Russian tanker under tow to Libya
The tanker drifted in the Central Mediterranean for three weeks, amid concerns it would cause an environmental disaster
A Russian tanker, which was abandoned after suffering extensive damage in an alleged drone attack, is under tow to Libya after drifting in the central Mediterranean for weeks.
Libya on Saturday confirmed that it had engaged an Italian company to handle the wreck.
The Arctic Metagaz was ferrying about 700 tonnes of fuel and a consignment of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Russia to Egypt when it was hit by a series of explosions on March 3. Russia accused Ukraine of trying to blow it up.
The 30 crew members were rescued, leaving the LNG-laden carrier to drift between Malta and Libya for nearly three weeks.
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on Saturday that it was collaborating with Italian group Eni to salvage the vessel.
It said that towing the wreck would be a "complex operation" due to the "large breach along its side".
The ship faced US and European Union sanctions as a suspected part of Russia's "shadow fleet" of vessels carrying Russian oil and gas in contravention of international sanctions.