Russian ‘floating bomb’ remains anchored off UK coast

THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT A RUSSIAN VESSEL STRANDED OFF THE COAST OF THE UK. EXPERTS ARE CALLING THE SHIP A ‘FLOATING BOMB.’ BECAUSE IT’S LOADED WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CARGO, AND IT WAS REFUSED ENTRY TO MULTIPLE EUROPEAN PORTS.

THE ‘MV RUBY’… A RUSSIAN CARGO SHIP CARRYING OVER 1-THOUSAND TONS OF AMMONIUM NITRATE, IS CURRENTLY ANCHORED JUST 15 MILES OFF THE COAST OF KENT, IN SOUTHEAST ENGLAND. THE SHIP WAS AT SEA FOR WEEKS AFTER BEING DENIED ENTRY TO PORTS ACROSS EUROPE… INCLUDING DENMARK, SWEDEN AND LITHUANIA.

AMMONIUM NITRATE, THE CHEMICAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVASTATING 2020 BEIRUT EXPLOSION, IS STABLE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, EXPERTS WARN IT COULD POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK IF EXPOSED TO FIRE OR OTHER TRIGGERS.

THE VESSEL, WHICH REPORTEDLY SUFFERED DAMAGE TO ITS HULL AND RUDDER, IS RAISING ALARMS BECAUSE IT’S PRETTY CLOSE TO THE WRECK OF WORLD WAR TWO-ERA SHIP, THE SS RICHARD MONTGOMERY. THAT WRECK CONTAINS AROUND 14-HUNDRED TONS OF MUNITIONS AND EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL, MAKING THE SITUATION EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.

ANCHORED NEAR THE ENGLISH CHANNEL… ONE OF THE WORLD’S BUSIEST SHIPPING LANES, THE MV RUBY IS STILL WAITING TO RECEIVE CLEARANCE TO ENTER UK WATERS.

A COMMERCIAL TUGBOAT IS STATIONED NEARBY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, AUTHORITIES SAY THE VESSEL REMAINS STABLE FOR NOW. BUT STILL, EXPERTS CAUTION THE SHIP IS EFFECTIVELY STRANDED.

THE RUBY CONTINUES TO DRIFT IN LIMBO UNDER CLOSE OBSERVATION BY THE UK COASTGUARD. SO FOR NOW, THIS ‘FLOATING BOMB’ REMAINS IN PLACE, WITH NO CLEAR SOLUTION IN SIGHT.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M RYAN ROBERTSON.