The wrecked Russian LNG tanker "Arctic Metagaz" has been drifting uncontrolled through the central Mediterranean for almost two weeks. Storms and metre-high waves are tearing at its hull. Now the situation is worsening dramatically: a second Russian shadow tanker is racing towards the wreck at high speed while US reconnaissance aircraft monitor the scene. Around 900 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and more than 60,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas in the still intact hull make the "Arctic Metagaz" a ticking time bomb. An explosion of the liquefied natural gas or its sinking could lead to one of the worst environmental disasters in decades.
Explosion off Libya - the crew flees
The 277-metre LNG tanker "Arctic Metagaz" was severely damaged in an explosion off the coast of Libya, around 150 to 168 nautical miles south-east of Malta, on 3 March 2026. Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack with an unmanned drone. So far, however, no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion. The crew of 30 was able to escape in lifeboats and was brought to safety in Malta.
The current situation
The "Arctic Metagaz" belongs to the Russian shadow fleet and is under Western sanctions. According to MarineTraffic, the ship last sent position data on the evening of 2 March - since then it has been a "ghost ship" without electronic identification. It is currently drifting around 50 nautical miles south-west of Malta. Surveillance videos show the smouldering, blackened ship listing about 30 degrees to starboard, with massive cracks on both sides and a film-like substance in the water around it. A tank was destroyed in the explosion and aerial photographs show two holes in the centre of the hull. To make matters worse, a storm is currently sweeping across the Mediterranean with gusts of up to 55 knots and waves three to four metres high. It is driving the wreck further to the south-west.
Gigantic fireball or huge oil slick threaten Mediterranean islands
The wreck poses an unprecedented threat to the Mediterranean - with two equally devastating scenarios.
The "Arctic Metagaz" carries around 60,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in its tanks. If the weakened hull were to give way under the current 4-metre waves or the still intact tanks were to rupture, the consequences would be devastating: If the liquefied natural gas stored under pressure at minus 162 degrees Celsius is suddenly released due to damage to the tank and suddenly vaporises, a so-called BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) occurs. The gas expands explosively to 600 times its original volume, causing the tank to burst like a gigantic bomb. The pressure wave could act like an earthquake and a fireball with temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius could be created. This is what happened in 1984 in San Juanico, Mexico, where more than 500 people lost their lives and entire neighbourhoods were destroyed as a result of such an explosion.
The 30-degree list, the persistent swell and the lack of cooling from the fleeing crew make any salvage operation a deadly risk - it could trigger the very disaster it is designed to prevent. An explosion would immediately destroy the wreck and all boats in its vicinity. Although the ship is far from the coast, the thermal radiation and atmospheric shockwave would be felt for kilometres.
In addition to the threat of an explosion, the 900 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board could also pose a direct threat to the protected marine zones off Lampedusa and Malta. They are among the most biodiverse waters in the Mediterranean. Seagrass meadows, which are considered the "lungs of the Mediterranean", as well as the nurseries for dolphins and whales could be destroyed for generations by a black oil slick.
Dramatic development: Shadow tanker "Jupiter" races towards the wreck
The situation has escalated dramatically today, 17 March 2026, as data from freely accessible sources such as VesselFinder, flight radar and weather services show. They confirm a worrying escalation: the Russian tanker "Jupiter", which has also been sanctioned and was previously travelling at one to two knots on a zigzag course southwest of Malta, is now racing towards the drifting "Arctic Metagaz" at 14.4 knots (course 197°), as VesselFinder data shows. A reconnaissance aircraft, which according to unconfirmed information is said to be in contact with US intelligence services, is circling above the scenario. Any accidental collision with this moving ship could be the spark that triggers the very explosion they are desperately trying to avoid.
Environmental bomb and international coordination
As things stand at present, the "Arctic Metagaz" can neither be unloaded nor salvaged and brought to a harbour. The disaster scenario has brought politicians and a crisis team onto the scene. Italy, France and seven other nations have warned the European Commission of the ecological dangers of the smouldering ship: "The precarious condition of the ship gives rise to an immediate and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Union's maritime space."
An international salvage company has been commissioned to draw up a plan for the fire-hazardous ghost ship. The Maltese government has activated an emergency plan to prevent a "disaster on land". A tugboat and an environmental protection vessel are in the vicinity of the drifting wreck.
A race against time
It is uncertain whether the ship will remain stable or break apart. The Times of Malta quotes an official: "Despite the massive explosion on board, the ship is still stable and will probably not sink - at least not for the time being."
As the "Jupiter" and US air surveillance approach, the situation develops into a race against time. The coming hours will show whether the ghost ship can be brought under control before it becomes an environmental disaster - or whether an international incident is in the offing.
Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise
