A damaged Russian gas tanker drifting in the Mediterranean without a crew for almost two weeks has 700 tonnes of fuel on board, Russia's foreign ministry revealed.
The 277-metre-long Arctic Metagaz suffered a series of explosions on March 3, causing significant damage and forcing its crew to evacuate.
Russia claims the ship was attacked by Ukrainian sea drones, but Ukraine has not commented.
The Russian foreign ministry reported that the vessel has sustained serious damage, including gas emissions, localised fires, and a listing hull.
Salvage experts are preparing for the ship's arrival in Maltese waters, where any spill could cause long-lasting pollution in the biodiverse Mediterranean basin.
