Russia says sinking of ship sent to Syria to collect weapons was an ‘act of terrorism’ | World News

The sinking of a Russian cargo ship that was sent to Syria to collect weapons was an “act of terrorism”, the vessel’s owner says.

An engine room explosion sank the Ursa Major off the coast of Spain, after which two crew members were missing and 14 others had to be rescued.

Oboronlogistika, the ship’s owner, said the vessel had been targeted in a “terrorist act”, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.

Ukraine’s military intelligence has claimed that the ship, previously called Sparta III, was sent to Syria to remove weapons and military equipment after the fall of Bashar al Assad.

The Kremlin had long supported Assad and had various military assets in the country, which it has been withdrawing following the collapse of the regime.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.