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FACTBOX: What to know about Ursa Major shipwreck in Mediterranean Sea

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's Situation and Crisis Center, the Ursa Major, built in 2009 and owned by a company called SK-Yug, sank after an explosion in the engine room

MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. The Russian dry cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea after an explosion in the engine room, according to a statement from the Situation and Crisis Center of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Fourteen people were rescued, and two others are missing.

TASS has put together the key facts about the incident.

Circumstances of the shipwreck

- The newspaper El Esrasol reported that the Russian vessel wrecked in international waters between the Spanish autonomous community of Murcia and Algeria.

- She had left St. Petersburg about two weeks ago and was on its way to the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok, where it was scheduled to arrive on January 22.

- According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's Situation and Crisis Center, the Ursa Major, built in 2009 and owned by a company called SK-Yug, sank after an explosion in the engine room.

- The Russian Embassy in Madrid is in regular contact with Spanish authorities about the shipwreck, the diplomatic mission said.

- Spanish authorities gave the lead in the rescue operation to a Russian warship, the kingdom's maritime security service said.

- According to the agency, the distress signal was received on Monday when the Ursa Major was about 57 miles off the coast of Almeria. The ship reported bad weather conditions.

- The agency said a Russian warship subsequently arrived in the area and "assumed responsibility for the rescue work after it was assigned to it by the Spanish authorities."

- The Ursa Major sank overnight.

- The Spanish maritime service is maintaining presence in the area of the shipwreck - not for the rescue operation, but to remove floating objects that pose danger to navigation and inspect for possible marine pollution.

Crew

- According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's Situation and Crisis Center, 14 crewmembers out of a total of 16 were rescued.

- They were taken to the port of Cartagena, Murcia.

- Two crewmembers remain missing.

Investigation

- The Kaliningrad Transport Investigation Department of the Western Interregional Investigation Directorate for Transport of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case to look into an offense provided for by Part 3 of Article 263 of the Russian Criminal Code (violation of the rules of safety of movement and operation of water transport, which caused the death of more than two people by negligence).

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