Russian 'shadow fleet' vessel suffers explosion in Gulf of Finland
A cargo ship thought to form part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet was rocked by an explosion while sailing in the Gulf of Finland Thursday.
The Liberian-flagged cargo ship the MSC Giada III was hit by the explosion and has since arrived in the port of St. Petersburg, Finnish media reported, citing the MNS Moscow Telegram account.
Two Russian vessels, a rescue ship and an icebreaker, aided the stricken freighter, en route from Belgium, into harbor.
The explosion occurred when the MSC Giada III was nearing St. Petersburg and hit the ship's engine room, causing a fire which also spread to the deck infrastructure.
The ship's hull was not damaged, and no harmful substances were released into the sea. The fire was declared extinguished after a few hours.
Ukrainian media outlet United 24 reported the MSC Giada III is part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.
The vessel and the incident is unrelated to the Baltic Spirit, a Bahamas-flagged cargo ship boarded by Estonian authorities Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of narcotics smuggling. That vessel continued its journey towards St. Petersburg in the early hours of Thursday, after it was not found to be containing any drugs or other contraband.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
Source: Yle
