Russian Vessel Carrying Nuclear Reactor Parts Sinks in Mediterranean After Explosion Near Algeria
POR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPMODIFIED] [date]
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MADRID (AP) — A Russian vessel that sank in the Mediterranean after an explosion near Algeria allegedly carried nuclear reactor parts intended for submarines, according to a Spanish government document revealed to CNN.
Ursa Major went down on December 23, 2026, between Spain and Algeria during a voyage from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, Russia. Two crew members died, while fourteen others were rescued by Algerian rescue ships.
The Russian ship's captain reportedly told Algerian port authorities that the vessel transported components for nuclear reactors used in submarines.
In a written response to opposition lawmakers, the Spanish government stated that the captain "confessed" that the ship carried "components of two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines."
The response was included in a document registered by the Congress of Deputies on February 23, which CNN reported on Tuesday. The document has since been reviewed by AP.
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In the sinking incident, the ship's owner, Russian state-owned Oboronlogistika, claimed the Ursa Major was sabotaged, alleging three powerful explosions damaged the vessel just above the waterline, which the company described as a "terrorist attack."
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This story was translated into English by an AP editor with the help of generative AI technology.
