Overview
- Libyan maritime authorities said Thursday that gale‑force winds and five‑meter waves halted a tow of the Arctic Metagaz, leaving it adrift between Libya and Malta.
- Officials labeled the vessel “out of control” and warned ships to steer clear as the burned hulk, empty of its 30 rescued crew, poses a collision risk.
- Libyan estimates cite about 62,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas and 900 tonnes of diesel onboard, and WWF warns a fuel spill could scar a biodiverse stretch of the Mediterranean.
- Libya’s state oil company first aimed to bring the tanker to port with help from Italy’s Eni, then moved it offshore after public backlash over spill dangers near the coast.
- The ship appears on EU and US sanctions lists linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, and Moscow blames a Ukrainian drone strike in early March while Kyiv has not commented.