Russian cargo ship Bolshaya Medveditsa Photo: rosmorport.com
On Monday, the Russian cargo ship Bolshaya Medveditsa, which was subject to Western sanctions, sank off the coast of Spain after an explosion in the engine room. The incident occurred at around 12:30 local time, and the ship sank at 23:22 UTC (01:22 Kyiv time). This was reported by Maritime Executive.
Details of the incident
The ship, which was 142 metres long and 23 metres wide, was sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar when an explosion in the engine room caused it to roll and veer off course.
They arrived to help the crew:
- A warship of the Spanish Navy,
- Spanish intervention vessel Clara Campoamor,
- Another Russian cargo ship, Sparta, is also under sanctions.
14 crew members were rescued, and two sailors are still missing.
The significance of the “Great Bear” for the Russian Navy
The ship was operated by a subsidiary of the sanctioned Russian defence corporation Oboronlogistika. “The Bolshaya Vedmeditsa played a key role in securing the Russian naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, which is an important logistics centre for Russia in the eastern Mediterranean.
In May 2022, the ship was included in the US sanctions package against Russian military infrastructure.
Consequences and reactions
According to analytical sources, the Bolshaya Medveditsa was carrying strategically important cargo, including large cranes. After the sinking, another sanctioned Russian cargo ship, the Sparta, continued its journey to Port Said, Egypt, at a reduced speed.
Spanish maritime services warned of possible debris in the area of the sinking and urged vessels to exercise caution.
This incident was a serious blow to Russia’s military and logistics infrastructure, which operates under international sanctions.
