The Ministry of Defense of the Government of National Unity announced on Tuesday that its specialized teams had successfully secured the Russian oil tanker off the coast of the city of Zuwara, in a first step towards moving it to a safe location.
The ministry explained in an urgent statement that the stabilization process was carried out with the participation of a marine tug belonging to the oil fields sector, which contributed directly to securing the ship’s location and preventing it from drifting, thus limiting any potential risks to the maritime area.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that it is monitoring developments on the ground, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to ensure that the withdrawal process is carried out in accordance with approved procedures, in a way that preserves the safety of maritime navigation and prevents any environmental or logistical damage.
The Libyan House of Representatives had previously expressed its concern about the serious repercussions of the incident involving the Russian gas tanker "Arctic Metangaz," which drifted near the city of Zuwara after sustaining damage in a Ukrainian attack in early March.
The committee condemned what it described as an "attack on a civilian tanker," considering it a "maritime terrorist act" that threatens the safety of international navigation and further complicates the security situation in the Mediterranean.
The committee also categorically rejected claims that the attack originated from within Libyan territory, calling for an urgent and transparent international investigation to determine who was responsible for the incident and to ensure that such violations do not happen again in the future.
The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that a Russian gas tanker was attacked by Ukrainian drone boats in the Mediterranean Sea on March 3, in an operation it described as international terrorist piracy.
