MOSCOW, December 26 (Sputnik) - A hole with a diameter of 50x50cm was discovered on the starboard side of Russian cargo vessel Ursa Major after three explosions rocked her in the Mediterranean Sea, Russian logistics and transportation company Oboronlogistika, a company that owns the ship, told Sputnik.
The Russian Foreign Ministry's Crisis Management Center said on Tuesday that Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea, 14 of the 16 crew members were rescued, while two were missing. The ship sank 67 miles off the coast of Spain and 45 miles off the coast of Algeria. The vessel left St. Petersburg 12 days ago in the direction of the port of Vladivostok.
"A general ship alarm was declared on the vessel. During the external emergency inspection of the vessel, a hole with a diameter of 50x50 centimeters was discovered above the water line, the edges of the hole were torn and directed inward. The vessel's deck was strewn with fragments," the company said.
According to Oboronlogistika, the vessel is one of the largest bulk carriers in Russia, with a maximum carrying capacity of 9,500 tons. At the same time, the cargo weight was 806 tons.