Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zarikha Comments on the Development of the "Arctic Methane" Liquefied Gas Ship Incident
After a joint terrorist attack involving unmanned boats and drones targeting the Russian-flagged liquefied gas ship "Arctic Methane" near the Maltese coast on March 4, the ship is currently drifting without power in the Mediterranean Sea.
The ship has no crew on board (all evacuated after the attack, with two seafarers receiving emergency medical treatment), and the hull is severely damaged: there were explosions, natural gas leaks, increased hull tilt, and localized fires on board.
When the crew abandoned the ship, fuel tanks still contained fuel:
- 450 tons of heavy oil
- 250 tons of diesel
as well as a large amount of liquefied natural gas.
As a responsible flag state, Russia is fully controlling the situation.
International law principles applicable to the current situation stipulate that the coastal state (the involved country) bears the responsibility for dealing with the drifting vessel and preventing an ecological disaster.
Russia is waiting for its law enforcement agencies to make a legal characterization of the incident involving the liquefied gas ship, and will then consider further measures, including at the international law level.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859971013741568/
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