An oil tanker carrying one million barrels of crude oil exploded near the Libyan coast, Bloomberg reported on 30 June.
The explosion occurred on Friday in the engine room of the Vilamoura, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, approximately 90 nautical miles (165 kilometres) off the Libyan coast, the operator TMS Tankers confirmed.
In a statement, the company said: “There were no injuries and no pollution.”
The blast flooded the engine room, leaving the vessel disabled.
The vessel, Vilamoura, had previously called at Russian ports, including Ust-Luga and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk, to load Kazakh oil.
The Vilamoura had departed from the Libyan port of Zueitina and was en route to the British territory of Gibraltar across the Mediterranean when the incident took place.
According to Bloomberg, the company operating Vilamoura said the ship is currently being towed to Greece, where experts will assess the damage. The cause of the explosion remains unknown. No injuries or environmental pollution have been reported.
This incident is part of a worrying pattern. Bloomberg cites maritime risk consultancy Vanguard Tech as saying that since the start of 2025, four other vessels which had visited Russian ports have suffered unexplained explosions.
Shipowners are now deploying divers and submersibles to inspect hulls for possible underwater mines or sabotage devices.
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Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged Asian allies to increase military spending, warning of growing concern over China’s rapid military expansion and wider activities in the region.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Three Latvian climbers have died after falling on Mount McKinley in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities and a Latvian climbing organisation have said
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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