The tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) under the Russian flag and suffered severe damage on March 4, continues to drift in the Mediterranean Sea and may approach Malta.

More specifically, according to information from France24, the semi-submerged vessel, 277 meters long, is currently near the Italian island of Linosa and is moving without a crew, being carried by sea currents.

At noon on Sunday (March 15), it was located 50 nautical miles southwest of Malta.

Maltese authorities are already preparing an emergency response plan, as thousands of tons of natural gas remain inside the ship.

The damaged vessel could pose a threat to other ships and to the environment.

Aerial footage by AFP shows the ship leaning to one side, with several sections rusted and severely damaged by fire, as well as two holes on each side in the middle of the vessel.

The tanker split in two off the coast of Libya

It is recalled that the tanker suffered significant damage after an explosion off the coast of Libya last week.

According to Libyan authorities, Moscow accuses Ukraine of attacking the ship with a drone between Malta and Libya.

All 30 crew members were found safe and unharmed, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Transport.

The fire may have been caused by an attack by a Ukrainian sea drone, although this has not been confirmed.

As reported by the Russian news agency TASS, the tanker Arctic Metagas was attacked by Ukrainian maritime drones.

The ship had departed from the Russian port of Murmansk and was attacked by sea drones launched from the Libyan coast.

The vessel may belong to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which consists of ships that rely on opaque ownership structures, flags of convenience, and irregular shipping practices to transport Russian oil despite Western restrictions.