Russian cargo ship sinks in the Mediterranean, leaving 2 crew missing

MADRID (AP) — A Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria, leaving two crewmembers missing, Spain’s maritime rescue agency and the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Fourteen of the Ursa Major’s crew were rescued from a lifeboat and transferred to southeastern Spain, the agency said. The Russian ministry said the ship started sinking following an explosion in the engine room.

Spanish authorities said they received an alert around 1 p.m. on Monday when the vessel was roughly 57 nautical miles (106 kilometers) from the coast of Almería in southeastern Spain. The maritime rescue agency had contacted a ship nearby that reported poor weather conditions, a lifeboat in the water and the Ursa Major listing.

Spanish authorities on Tuesday said the crewmembers who were taken to the city of Cartagena were uninjured.

Authorities said a Russian warship arrived later on Monday to oversee rescue operations and that the 142-meter (466-foot) -long vessel sank around midnight. On board the vessel were empty containers and two cranes, Spanish authorities said.

Spanish maritime rescue units remained in the area on Tuesday to monitor for pollution and remove any floating objects that could be dangerous for navigation, authorities said.

The Russian embassy in Spain told state news agency RIA Novosti that it was investigating the accident and that it was in contact with local authorities.

Spanish authorities did not confirm the cause of the accident or where the Russian cargo ship was headed.