Libyan maritime authorities have successfully removed a crippled Russian natural gas tanker that had been floating without a crew in Mediterranean waters for several weeks, according to officials from the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity.
The vessel, identified as the Russian-flagged Arctic Metagaz, had been transporting liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Arctic port of Murmansk when it sustained damage in early March. Russian transportation officials reported the ship was struck by Ukrainian naval drones, leaving it without operational crew.
The unmanned tanker eventually floated toward the coastline near Zuwara, a western Libyan port city, raising serious environmental concerns across the region.
Nine European Union nations, including Italy, France, and Spain, sent an urgent letter to the European Commission warning that the vessel represented “an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster.”
Video footage released Tuesday by the GNU’s Hakomitna media outlet captured a military frigate pulling the tanker through Mediterranean waters using heavy rope.
Coast guard operations commander Omar Mohamed Omar Al-Tuwair confirmed in the video that maritime forces had successfully moved the abandoned vessel away from Zuwara’s coastline.
“We assure our people throughout Libya in general, and the western coastal areas in particular, especially Zuwara and Sabratha, that the relevant authorities are making every effort to deal with the situation,” Al-Tuwair stated.
Officials have not revealed where the tanker will ultimately be taken for repairs or disposal.
Russian transportation ministry representatives claimed the drone attack originated from Libyan territory. Both Ukrainian and Libyan officials have remained silent regarding the incident’s details.
