Russian cargo ship 'on Syria mission' sinks in Mediterranean
A Russian cargo ship that Ukraine claims was sent to Syria to collect weapons has sunk in the Mediterranean Sea, according to officials in Moscow.
Two crew members are missing after an engine room explosion sank the Ursa Major between Spain and Algeria, the foreign ministry said.
The ministry also said 14 of the 16 crew members onboard have been rescued and brought to Spain.
Ukraine's military intelligence claimed in a post on Telegram yesterday that the ship had been sent to Syria to remove weapons and military equipment after the fall of Bashar al Assad.
Intelligence said the ship then broke down and Russian crew were able to "fix the problem and continue through the Straight of Gibralter".
Ship tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) shows the vessel departed from the Russian port of St Petersburg on 11 December and was last seen sending a signal at 10.04pm (GMT) on Monday between Algeria and Spain.
On leaving St Petersburg it had indicated that its next port of call was the Russian port of Vladivostok, not the Syrian port of Tartous which it had called at previously.
The operator and owner of the ship is a company called SK-Yug, part of shipping and logistics company Oboronlogistics, according to LSEG data.
Following a lightning offensive by anti-regime forces, Assad and his family members left the Syrian capital of Damascus and fled to Russia - one of his strongest allies.
Assad's location was confirmed as Russian news agencies said Moscow had struck a deal with Syrian opposition leaders.
In recent weeks, Russia has been pulling back its military from the frontlines in northern Syria and the removal of Assad has also thrown the future of Russia's bases - the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and the Tartous naval facility - into question.
-SKY NEWS
