A liquefied natural gas carrier identified as Arctic Metagaz was reported burning in the central Mediterranean on Tuesday after explosions were reported, raising security concerns for vessels operating in the region. The vessel, which is subject to United States and United Kingdom sanctions, was transiting southeast of Malta when the incident occurred at about 4:00 a.m. local time. Maritime security monitoring groups and social media footage suggested the ship may have sustained a drone attack, but official confirmation of the fire’s cause was not available at the time of reporting.
Vessel tracking data showed Arctic Metagaz loaded cargo at the Saam floating storage unit in Russia on 18 February before sailing past the United Kingdom and Spain. The ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal was lost when it was about 30 nautical miles off Malta’s northeastern coast.
A maritime security alert said the tanker suffered a drone attack while moving eastbound, leading to a fire onboard. A Greece-based maritime security firm confirmed the vessel was on fire, but said further details were not immediately available.
Video circulating on X appeared to show a large vessel engulfed in flames, although the authenticity of the footage was still being checked. Flight tracking data showed a Turkish Navy ATR 72-600 maritime patrol aircraft circling near the ship’s last known position. The Armed Forces of Malta had not issued an immediate statement. No distress signal was broadcast by the vessel, and the status of the crew and cargo remained unknown.
The vessel is described as operating within a fleet moving sanctioned LNG linked to the Arctic LNG 2 facility, exports targeted under wider restrictions aimed at Russian energy revenue. Arctic Metagaz was heading toward the Suez area and was likely bound for Asian markets, with the Beihai Terminal in China cited as a probable destination.
Analysts said the event follows a pattern of escalating attacks on Russian-linked assets outside the Black Sea. Two months ago, the Qendil, an Omani-flagged tanker, was struck in the Mediterranean between Crete and Malta. Ukrainian intelligence has previously claimed responsibility for similar operations, but no group had claimed involvement in the Arctic Metagaz incident. The cause—whether an accidental fire, mechanical failure, or a targeted strike—remained under investigation, adding uncertainty for insurers and operators moving high-value energy cargoes through the Mediterranean corridor.
