A gas tanker from Russia has completely sunk in Mediterranean waters off Libya’s coastline after suffering explosions and catching fire, according to Libya’s maritime rescue agency in a Wednesday advisory obtained by Reuters.
The vessel, identified as Arctic Metagaz with IMO number 9243148, sent out a distress signal on Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, the Libyan agency reported.
“A distress call was received on Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, from the commercial tanker named Arctic Metagaz. Information indicates that the tanker experienced sudden explosions followed by a massive fire, which ultimately led to its complete sinking,” the agency stated in their report.
The maritime authority confirmed the vessel’s total loss, explaining that “The tanker has been confirmed to have completely sunk at the site of the incident. The wreckage lies in the maritime area between Libya and Malta (within the Libyan search and rescue zone).”
Russian transport ministry officials stated Wednesday that they believe Ukrainian naval drones carried out an attack on the Arctic Metagaz, though this claim has not been independently verified.
