The circumstances surrounding the vessel’s presence and the identities of those aboard remain unknown. The Cuban government has initiated an investigation to ascertain the details of the incident. This inquiry aims to “clarify” the events that transpired.
A Florida-registered vessel was detected near Cayo Falcones in Cuba, where its crew allegedly opened fire on a Cuban border patrol boat, wounding the commander. The confrontation resulted in four fatalities and six injuries among those on the foreign vessel, with the injured receiving medical assistance. This incident occurs amidst heightened US-Cuba tensions, exacerbated by US actions affecting fuel shipments and ongoing diplomatic efforts by US officials in the region. Cuba has reaffirmed its commitment to defending its territorial waters and sovereignty in light of these challenges.
The sanctioned Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, owned by Oboronlogistika and carrying two large cranes, sank in the Mediterranean Sea after an engine room explosion. Fourteen crew members were rescued, but two remain missing. The ship, previously named Sparta, was reportedly en route to Vladivostok, though Ukrainian intelligence claimed it was heading to Syria to transport Russian military equipment. The incident follows recent reports of Russian military withdrawal from Syria and other maritime incidents involving Russian vessels.
The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday following an engine room explosion. The vessel, reportedly evacuating personnel and equipment from Syrian Russian bases, was en route from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Of the sixteen Russian crew members, fourteen were rescued and two remain missing. The incident occurred in international waters off the coast of Spain.
John Q. Hosedrinker