Limpet Mine Detected in Tanker Explosion Near Libya's Shores

By Jonathan Saul and renee maltezou

LONDON/ATHENS, July 1 (Reuters) – A recent report from maritime security experts suggests that a limpet mine might have triggered an explosion on a Greek tanker near Libya’s coast last week. This incident marks the fifth occurrence affecting commercial shipping in that area over the past few months.

The tanker, named Vilamoura and registered under the Marshall Islands flag, departed from Zuetina port in libya on June 27, carrying approximately one million barrels of oil bound for Gibraltar. Onboard operator TMS reported an explosion in the engine room shortly after departure. Initial evaluations indicate that a limpet mine is highly likely responsible for this blast, according to four maritime security sources.

A representative from TMS mentioned to Reuters that they would not be able to determine the exact cause of the explosion until a thorough damage assessment could be performed once the vessel reached Greece later today or by July 2. Tracking data revealed that as of Tuesday, Vilamoura was located off Greece’s southern coastline.The explosion resulted in flooding within the engine room and compromised the ship’s maneuverability; however, it was successfully towed towards Greece as per TMS’s statement released Monday.Notably, this vessel had previously docked at Russian ports including Ust-luga and Novorossiysk in recent months.

According to Dryad Global—a British firm specializing in maritime cyber defense—there appears to be a connection between these suspected limpet mine attacks and recent visits by tankers to Russian ports. this trend suggests targeted threats against vessels involved wiht Russian oil trade amid rising geopolitical tensions due to Western sanctions imposed following Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

In response to these developments, Western nations have enacted multiple sanctions against Russia while G7 countries have set a price cap of $60 per barrel on Moscow’s oil exports. Earlier this year alone saw three separate incidents involving explosions damaging oil tankers across various Mediterranean locations; however, their causes remain unclear.

These occurrences represent unprecedented instances of non-military vessels sustaining blast damage around central Mediterranean waters for decades. Additionally, another tanker experienced explosions while anchored at Ust-Luga port back in February—prompting divers to investigate potential mines near Russian harbors.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis; editing by Mark heinrich)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025

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