Screengrab from YT video posted by Times News The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea after suffering a series of explosions near the coast of Spain, with investigators now examining claims that the vessel may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactor components possibly meant for North Korea. The Russian-flagged vessel went down on December 23, 2024, around 60 nautical miles off Spain’s south-eastern coast. Two crew members were reported missing after the incident, while 14 others were rescued by Spanish authorities. According to a statement later released by the Spanish government, the ship’s captain told investigators that the vessel was carrying “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines.” He reportedly said he could not confirm whether the reactor components contained nuclear fuel. The Ursa Major, also known as Sparta III, was owned by Oboronlogistics, a company linked to the Russian state. The ship had left St. Petersburg on December 11 and was officially headed for Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East. Its public cargo manifest listed 129 empty shipping containers, two Liebherr cranes and two large “manhole covers.” However, investigators reportedly questioned why such cargo would be transported by sea between two Russian ports despite Russia’s large rail network. Sources familiar with the Spanish investigation told CNN that the vessel’s captain believed the ship would later be diverted to the North Korean port of Rason to deliver the reactor-related cargo. The ship had earlier docked at Ust-Luga in the Gulf of Finland before moving to container facilities in St. Petersburg. Video footage reviewed during the investigation reportedly showed containers being loaded into the ship’s hull, leaving space below the large objects later described as “manhole covers.” Video Credits: Times News/YouTube As the vessel travelled south along the French coast, Portuguese naval aircraft and ships monitored its movement thro