Norway: The company of the ship accused by Moscow responds to the rescue of Russians in the Mediterranean

Explanations for the accusations by Moscow against the crew of the “Oslo Carrier 3”, which was found near the site of the sinking of the Russian “Ursa Major” in the Mediterranean, but did not provide assistance to its sailors, were given by the Norwegian company that operates it.

The Ursa Major, which carries out missions for the Russian Defense Ministry’s military construction arm, ran into trouble Monday and then sank between Spain and Algeria with 14 of its 16-member crew taking refuge in a lifeboat.

Three explosions occurred in the ship’s engine room, damaging the hull, during an terrorist act, the ship’s owner, Oboronlogistika, told state news agency RIA on Wednesday.

Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service said Tuesday that it had received a distress signal from the Ursa Major and that two boats and a helicopter had been sent to the scene.

“The MRCC (Spain’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center) ordered the captain not to board a crew from a vessel in distress as the rescue vessel was en route,” the Norwegian operator of the “Oslo Carrier 3”, Bulkship Management, said in a statement Friday.

“Meanwhile, the lifeboat was secured next to our boat until the rescue boat arrived. The weather was good, none of the crew members in the lifeboat were injured and there was no immediate danger to them,”the Norwegian company added, also posting visual footage of the lifeboat next to the “Oslo Carrier 3”, in what appeared to be calm waters with a Spanish vessel towing it.

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