France Intercepts Suspected Russian ‘Ghost Fleet’ Tanker as Stricken LNG Ship Drifts in Central Mediterranean

Overview

• The French Navy boarded the tanker Deyna, arriving from Murmansk under a Mozambican flag, verified it was sailing under a false flag, and is escorting it to anchorage for further checks after notifying the Marseille prosecutor.
• Authorities said the operation, conducted under Article 110 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, involved allied cooperation including the United Kingdom.
• Separately, the Russian LNG carrier Arctic‑Metagaz remains abandoned and drifting between Sicily and Tunisia near Linosa after an early‑March strike, with AFP images showing severe fire damage and large holes in the hull.
• EU members including France and Italy warned the European Commission of an “imminent and grave” ecological risk from the Arctic‑Metagaz, which carries about 138,000 m3 of LNG and several hundred tonnes of fuel; WWF cautioned about lethal cryogenic gas clouds and long‑lasting pollution.
• Italy’s Alfredo Mantovano said the ship is crewless, unsafe to approach and at risk of explosion, while Russia blames a Ukrainian naval‑drone attack launched from Libya’s coast and argues coastal states must resolve the drifting hazard.