The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria following an explosion in its engine room. The incident resulted in the rescue of 14 crew members, while two remain missing.
⚡️Today, the Katsap dry cargo ship “Ursa Major” sank off the coast of Spain after an explosion with valuable cargo.
Initially, it was believed that the ship was sailing to Syria, but analysts investigated – this tin was transporting hatches for the nuclear reactor of a nuclear icebreaker and two mobile port cranes with a lifting capacity of up to 120 tons each to Vladivostok.
⚡️Today, the Katsap dry cargo ship “Ursa Major” with valuable cargo sank off the coast of Spain after an explosion.
Initially, it was believed that the ship was sailing to Syria, but analysts investigated – this tin was transporting hatches for the nuclear reactor of a nuclear icebreaker and two mobile port cranes with a lifting capacity of up to 120 tons each to Vladivostok.
The Ursa Major, a general cargo ship built in 2009, had a length of 142 meters and a beam of 23 meters. It was registered under the Russian flag and operated by SC-SOUTH LLC.
This was a well-planned attack – the cats are in a hurry from the combo loss
⛴ Minus one of the leading dry cargo ships of the mine-killing Raska, it delivered cargo for the Russian military in Syria from 2017 to 2022
💦Minus hatches for the nuclear reactor to the icebreaker.
💦 Minus two port cranes.
These are all painful losses under sanctions.
Mediterranean Sea.
Our source: “The ship was sailing with a project commercial cargo from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok with two heavy-duty Liebherr portal cranes, hold covers for a nuclear submarine under construction and other commercial goods. The cargo was intended for the structures of Rosatom and Gazpromneft and it was a cold calculation of those who committed the sabotage – to destroy the flagship cargo ship of the Russian Ministry of Defense, and even with such a serious cargo that, due to sanctions, it could not be restored or purchased. It was a well-planned attack and, unfortunately, it was a success – two crew members, the ship and the valuable cargo died.”
Prior to its sinking, the Ursa Major had been involved in transporting military equipment between Russia and Syria. In March 2024, it was part of a convoy escorted by the Russian frigate Neustrashimy through the Baltic Sea, carrying large quantities of weapons and equipment from Syria.
The ship’s activities had attracted international attention, leading to its inclusion on U.S. and EU sanctions lists since 2022. In December 2022, Bangladesh denied the vessel entry due to its sanctioned status, forcing it to anchor near the Kolkata sea port.
At the time of the explosion, the Ursa Major was reportedly en route to Tartus, Syria, possibly to load military equipment. The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Given the vessel’s history of transporting military cargo, the possibility of an onboard accident involving such materials cannot be ruled out.
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