The Myra oil tanker issued a distress call west of Ireland in 8.8-metre swells and high winds. Crews made contact with a crew of 21 people on board.
An oil tanker, which is part of Russia’s oil trade and is under sanctions, sent out a distress call in the North Atlantic, west of Ireland, on October 24. The alert came as the vessel, called Myra, was sailing from Russia’s Ust-Luga port. The tanker continued to move even with waves of 8.8 meters and wind gusts of 130 km/h.
The distress signal was received via the Inmarsat-C satellite system, the SeaNews marine monitoring project reports. At the time, Myra was about 348 km off the Irish coast, moving at around 9 knots, or 17 km/h.
What Became of the Myra Tanker?
The UK Coast Guard asked nearby vessels to report if they could assist the tanker. The ship was later contacted by a Royal Air Force aircraft and had 21 people on board.
The crew reported the alert was triggered while the vessel was exiting an area with heavy sea conditions. The tanker took stock of the situation and went its way. The available report confirmed no injuries or damage to the ship.
Myra Tanker: Why is it under sanctions?
Built in 2006, the Myra measures approximately 228 meters in length and has a deadweight of some 75,000 tonnes. The ship is subject to sanctions by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland.
Western media outlets have connected the tanker to Fractal Marine DMCC, a company registered in the United Arab Emirates and touted as an operator linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. “These vessels are frequently used to transport Russian oil under Western sanctions.
Myra is said to have called at ports in Turkey, Brazil, Senegal, Estonia and Denmark.
Russian and Iranian Oil Commerce Link
The tanker is also tied into a shipping network linked to Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of a former senior Iranian security official. The network reportedly uses tankers and shell companies to move Russian and Iranian oil, including shipments to China.
The distress signal has attracted attention because it involved a sanctioned vessel operating in treacherous weather, far out in the Atlantic. But the reported incident does not necessarily prove the ship was seriously damaged or that its oil cargo was affected.