A Russian cargo vessel that sank in the Mediterranean Sea in December 2024 may have been damaged by a rare supercavitating torpedo type believed to exist only in the arsenals of several NATO countries, Russia, and Iran.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
DONATE NOW
According to a CNN investigation published on May 12, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major suffered multiple explosions before sinking roughly 60 miles off the coast of Spain on December 23, 2024.
Spanish investigators examined a 50-by-50 centimeter breach in the vessel’s hull and concluded it could have been caused by a Barracuda-type supercavitating torpedo. The outlet noted that such weapons use air bubbles to reduce underwater drag and can travel at extremely high speeds.
According to CNN, this class of torpedo is believed to be operated only by several NATO members, Russia, and Iran.
Read more
CategoryLatest newsRussian “Ghost Ship” Sank While Smuggling Nuclear Reactor Parts Likely Bound for North Korea
Dec 29, 2025 13:55
The investigation states that the vessel initially slowed suddenly on December 22 while sailing through Spanish waters, though the crew informed rescuers at the time that no emergency had occurred. About 24 hours later, the ship transmitted a distress signal after what survivors described as three explosions near the engine room.
Two crew members were reported killed, while 14 others were evacuated by Spanish rescue services. According to CNN, Spanish rescuers later boarded the ship and found the engine room sealed shut. Additional explosions were reportedly detected hours later before the vessel ultimately sank.
The report also states that Spain’s National Seismic Network recorded four seismic events near the ship around the same time, with patterns investigators compared to underwater explosive devices.
Route map showing the final voyage of the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major before it sank in the Mediterranean Sea in December 2024. (Graphic: CNN)
CNN additionally reported that the Ursa Major may have been transporting components for two submarine nuclear reactors, potentially intended for North Korea. The outlet cited a statement from the Spanish government saying the ship’s Russian captain later told investigators the cargo included “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines.”
The vessel had departed Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga on December 11, 2024, officially bound for Vladivostok.
According to CNN, US WC-135R aircraft designed to detect radioactive particles later flew over the wreck site twice following the sinking, while the Russian vessel Yantar, widely described by Western officials as an intelligence-linked ship, also visited the area weeks later.
Earlier, Russia claimed the sinking of the Ursa Major near the Spanish coast in December 2024 was “an act of terrorism” after the vessel reportedly suffered three explosions before going down in the Mediterranean Sea.
