Reuters: Sanctioned Russian tanker carrying LNG catches fire in Mediterranean

The Russian-flagged tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), has caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to Reuters' sources, the tanker last reported its position off the coast of Malta on 2 March.

One source said the vessel may have been attacked by a Ukrainian drone, but provided no evidence to support this claim.

The Armed Forces of Malta said they had received a distress call about a fire and had dispatched units to the vessel.

The ship's crew were found in a lifeboat within Libya's search and rescue region and are safe.

Reuters has contacted the Security Service of Ukraine for comment.

The Arctic Metagaz is under US and UK sanctions for transporting LNG from Russian Arctic terminals to China.

Last week, Belgian forces, with support from French military helicopters, detained the oil tanker Ethera in the North Sea, which is said to be part of Russia's shadow fleet.

The vessel, sailing under the flag of Guinea, was intercepted by Belgian Armed Forces in the North Sea on the evening of 28 February, redirected to Belgian territorial waters and detained in the port of Zeebrugge.

Belgium's federal prosecutor's office launched an investigation into the detained tanker linked to Russia's shadow fleet.