A RUSSIAN cargo ship has sunk off the coast of Spain while on a secret mission for Vladimir Putin after it exploded.
Ursa Major travelled through Gibraltar and went down in the Mediterranean between Spain and Algeria as it was heading east.
Two of the 16 crew members on the Ursa Major are reported missing with those rescued taken to the port of Cartagena.
The Ursa Major’s purpose on the voyage is unclear, with Ukraine saying it was transporting weapons.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence and Spanish sources, the Ursa Major was believed to be on its way to Syria to transport Russian military equipment that is being removed from the region after the downfall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.
However, the official Russian explanation states that the ship was actually bound for Vladivostok. It was said to be carrying massive cranes, each weighing 380 tons, meant for the construction of a new nuclear-powered icebreaker.
A statement from Russian authorities clarified, “To ensure the stability of the vessel during the transport of such large cargo, containers were strategically loaded onto the lower deck beforehand to serve as additional ballast in a complex cargo handling operation.”
Ursa Major had left St Petersburg 12 days ago and sailed via the North Sea and English Channel.
If it was going to Syria it would likely have been due to call at Tartus, where the Russian naval base is, to collect cargo bound for naval port Vladivostok.
It had been due to transit the Suez Canal.
The boat suffered an explosion in the engine at 12.30pm on Monday which caused the boat to heavily list, La Verdad reports.
A Russia Navy ship had to go and provide assistance with the rescue.
The ship’s captain said it was carrying containers that were empty at the time of the accident.
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
