A damaged Russian tanker suspected of forming part of Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet" is now drifting further away from Malta, easing immediate concerns but still posing what officials fear could be a serious environmental threat in the central Mediterranean.
Speaking on the Labour Party's TV station on Tuesday, Transport Minister Chris Bonett said that the vessel is now 78 nautical miles south of Malta, compared to 45 nautical miles just 24 hours earlier, indicating that it is continuing to move away from the islands.
It was later reported that the vessel was out of Malta's SAR zone, at more than 100 miles away from the islands.
The tanker, identified as the Arctic Metagaz, is a 277-metre-long Russian vessel that has been drifting without a crew since suffering a series of explosions earlier this month. The ship was reportedly damaged off Libya on 3 or 4 March, with Russia alleging that a Ukrainian sea drone attack was behind the incident.
Speaking to the media earlier, Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed that Malta has a contingency plan in place should the situation worsen, but said the government is seeking a more lasting resolution rather than relying solely on emergency preparedness.
The vessel, which had previously drifted alarmingly close to Malta and Italian waters, had raised fears of a potential maritime and environmental crisis due to the cargo and fuel believed to be on board. Officials have described the tanker as an "environmental bomb", amid concerns that any further structural failure or another explosion could trigger a major ecological disaster.
The Arctic Metagaz is understood to be carrying significant quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG), in addition to an estimated 450 tonnes of fuel oil and 250 tonnes of diesel. Its condition has fuelled fears of pollution and a possible fire or explosion.
Recent footage reportedly showed the vessel listing to one side, with parts of its hull blackened by fire and two gaping holes visible midship.
The tanker has been linked to Russia's "shadow fleet" - a network of ageing vessels used to transport Russian oil and gas while bypassing Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Arctic Metagaz has reportedly been sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union.
Russia has said that all 30 crew members were rescued after the incident. Ukraine has not commented on Moscow's allegation that its sea drones were responsible.
Authorities in Malta and Italy have been tracking the tanker's movement for days, amid growing concern in southern Europe over the risks posed by sanctioned Russian vessels operating in the Mediterranean. Italian officials have been particularly vocal, with one senior figure warning that the tanker could "explode at any moment".