Russia says cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after blast, two missing

A Russian state-owned cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in international waters in the Mediterranean after an explosion in its engine room, leaving two crew members missing, Russia's foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

The explosion occurred off the southeastern coast of Spain, prompting the ship to send out a distress call on Monday morning.

The Ursa Major, which was carrying empty containers and cranes, was listing heavily and launched a lifeboat before sinking overnight, according to Spain's sea rescue service.

Fourteen out of the 16 crew members were rescued and taken to the Spanish port of Cartagena. The survivors were assisted by the Red Cross, while two crew members remain unaccounted for.

Spanish authorities responded promptly, deploying helicopters and rescue boats to the scene. After the ship sank, a Russian warship arrived to take control of the operation, as the vessel was positioned between Spanish and Algerian waters.

The Ursa Major is owned by Oboronlogistika, a subsidiary of Russia's defense ministry, which handles both civilian and military logistics.

The cargo ship had been en route from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok, carrying heavy machinery, including cranes for icebreakers, as part of state efforts to develop ports and improve the northern sea route via the Arctic.

In addition to the cargo ship incident, the Russian tanker Volgoneft-212 also experienced a major oil spill in the Kerch Strait earlier this month, which has been described as an "ecological disaster."