A Russian cargo ship that suffered a series of mysterious explosions before sinking off the southeast coast of Spain 17 months ago may have been carrying reactors for nuclear submarines destined for North Korea, the "Guardian" reports.
"The Big Dipper" - A 142-meter Russian-flagged ship owned by the state-linked company "Oboronlogistika" was sailing from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East when it sank 62 nautical miles off the coast of Murcia shortly before midnight on December 23, 2024.
11 hours earlier, the Spanish maritime rescue and security service "Sassemar" sent a helicopter, a fast rescue boat and a tug to the "Ursa Grande", which sent a distress signal at 12:53 p.m. local time.
Other ships in the area noted that the Russian ship had slowed dramatically in the previous 24 hours, was listing heavily and its crew had abandoned it. Crew members told rescuers that there had been three explosions in the ship's engine room.
The Spanish efforts to help the "Ursa Grande" were called off at 8:07 p.m. that evening when a Russian warship arrived. It took over the operations and ordered the two boats of the "Sassemar" to retreat two nautical miles.
According to a Spanish government document published three months ago in response to parliamentary questions about the incident, the Russian warship then fired flares over the "Ursa Grande". In an article in the newspaper "Verdad" from Murcia wrote that the flares may have served to blind the infrared channels of the reconnaissance satellites that were monitoring the incident.
A CNN investigation into the sinking of the ship noted that "four similar seismic signals, the pattern of which resembled underwater mines or above-ground explosions in quarries" were heard immediately after the flares were fired. By 11:20 p.m., the "Ursa Major" had sunk and currently lies at a depth of 2,500 meters. Two crew members are believed to have died in the initial explosions, while 14 were rescued.
Although the ship was officially carrying "non-dangerous goods" - including 129 shipping containers, two cranes and two large maintenance hatch covers - its route and sinking have raised doubts among Spanish authorities.
After questioning, the captain of the "Big Bear" eventually told Spanish investigators that "the hatch covers" His ship was carrying "nuclear reactor components similar to those used by submarines," but no nuclear fuel was being carried.
Investigators have also spotted two huge blue containers - each weighing about 65 tons - at the stern of the ship in satellite images.
"Therefore, these would be two cargoes almost impossible to transport along the winding roads of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan between the two cities served by the "Big Dipper," Verdad reported.
"This mysterious undeclared cargo would certainly justify a journey of over 15,000 km by sea between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok."
A source familiar with the investigation claims that the Russian captain thought he would be diverted to the North Korean port Rason to deliver the two reactors.
Although the incident remains a mystery, CNN suggests that the sinking of the "Big Bear" "It could be a rare and risky intervention by a Western military aimed at preventing Russia from sending advanced nuclear technology to a key ally, North Korea".
The channel noted that the Russian ship sailed just two months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent troops to help Vladimir Putin with the war in Ukraine.
A 50 by 50 cm hole found in the ship's hull - with the damaged metal facing inwards - could have been made by a super-fast weapon known as a supercavitating torpedo.
"Only the United States, several NATO allies, Russia and Iran are believed to possess this type of high-speed torpedo, which shoots air in front of the weapon to reduce water resistance," CNN said.
"A source familiar with the Spanish investigation, said it had concluded that the use of such a device would have been consistent with the size of the hole in the hull of the "Ursa Major" and that it could have delivered a silent blow that caused the sudden deceleration of the vessel on December 22".
CNN reported that there has been a "whirlpool of recent military activity" around the wreckage of the ship, with US nuclear reconnaissance planes flying over the site twice in the past year, and a Russian spy ship setting off four more explosions in the wreckage a week after it sank.
A report by "Oboronlogistika" claims that the "Ursa Grande" was the victim of a "targeted terrorist attack."