Drones Strike Russian-Flagged Ro-Ro Ship in Mediterranean
The Russian-flagged Ro-Ro vessel Lady Mariia was attacked by several drones while sailing through the central Mediterranean, Maritime Executive reports. The ship left Oran, Algeria, on September 1 and was later tracked east of Malta. The attack reportedly took place between Crete and Libya.
Video footage shows drones approaching the vessel and dropping explosives onto its deck. A small fire broke out after the attack. Reports cited by Maritime Executive say the ship may have been hit by more than 10 bombs, damaging deck equipment and parts of the superstructure. The full extent of the damage has not been independently confirmed.
MV Lady Mariia is a Ro-Ro vessel with large deck cranes that allow it to handle cargo at ports with limited facilities. The ship has also been linked to the transport of Russian military cargo. Its registered owner is Russia-based MG-Flot, and the vessel is under international sanctions.
The attack adds to security concerns for Russian-linked shipping in the Mediterranean. However, there is still no independent confirmation of who carried out the strike or what cargo Lady Mariia was carrying at the time.
