The Municipality of Zuwara said the stricken Russian vessel “Arctic Metagaz” is currently heading northwest, about 65 kilometres away from the coast, according to the latest updates from the operations room. In a statement on Sunday, the municipality said it is closely monitoring developments in real time in continuous coordination with the relevant authorities, as part of efforts to ensure public safety and prevent any potential risks. The municipality reassured residents that the concerned authorities are making every effort to deal with the incident, pledging to provide updates as they emerge and urging the public to rely on official sources for accurate information. The Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Arctic Metagaz was severely damaged earlier in March after what Moscow described as a Ukrainian drone attack in the central Mediterranean, although Kyiv has not commented on the claim. The vessel, which had been sailing from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was left unmanned after its crew were evacuated and has since drifted for weeks between Malta and Libya.

Source: Libya Observer March 23, 2026 14:20 UTC