A Norwegian-flagged ship, the Oslo Carrier 3, refused to take on Russian sailors from the Ursa Major, which had sunk in the Mediterranean, citing another ship was en route to assist the Russians. This was reported by Bulkship Management, the Norwegian company that owns the ship.
Bulkship Management claimed: “The rescue operation was carried out by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Cartagena, Spain, which is responsible for such operations in this region. The MRCC instructed the captain to not take on the crew of the stricken ship, as the rescue ship was on its way to the location.”
The company also pointed out that the rescue boat was moored at the Oslo Carrier 3 until the rescue ship arrived. Bulkship Management showed photos of the ongoing rescue operation and emphasized: “The weather was good, no one on the rescue boat was injured, and there was no immediate danger to them.”
The Ursa Major sank on December 24 in the Mediterranean between Spain and Algeria after an explosion in its engine room. Of the 16 crew members, 14 were rescued, and two were reported missing. A day after the incident, Oboronlogistika, the owner of the dry cargo ship, reported a crack found on the starboard side of the ship and attributed the incident to a terrorist attack.
Oboronlogistika later reported that the Norwegians had refused to take on the Russian sailors who had escaped from the dry cargo ship, citing a corresponding ban. Russian President’s spokesperson, Dmitri Peskow, commented on this, saying: “If, in fact, no help was provided to the sailors in distress, that contradicts all maritime law. It’s a shocking incident that deserves total criticism.