Russian LNG carrier enters Libyan waters
Main Points
- The “Arctic Metagas” tanker entered Libyan search and rescue waters.
- The Italian Civil Protection Agency warns of the risk of a gas leak.
- The amount of liquefied natural gas on board the ship is unclear.
The Italian Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday that the damaged Russian liquefied natural gas tanker, which had been drifting in the Mediterranean over the past two weeks, has now entered Libyan search and rescue waters.
The agency monitoring the ship stated that the greatest danger at present is the possibility of a gas leak, although no leak has been detected so far.
A spokesperson for the agency said that “a gas leak is a very realistic possibility,” adding that the amount of gas remaining on board has not yet been determined, as reports indicated that two tanks are still intact, but some of the cargo may have already leaked into the sea.