Ursa Minor merchant vessel adrift after engine room fire

The merchant vessel Ursa Minor, part of the Acciaierie d’Italia fleet, was left adrift in the Gulf of Manfredonia after an engine room fire occurred during its transit to the port of Ravenna. The 205-meter Italian-flagged ship lost propulsion and maneuvering capabilities, prompting an emergency radio call to the Bari Coast Guard.

Rescue operations involved three motorboats from Bari, Barletta, and Vieste, coordinated by the Bari maritime rescue center. The crew of 14 was monitored throughout the night by a patrol boat from Bari until a tugboat, the Tenax, arrived from Brindisi. The captain reported that the fire was successfully extinguished, though the vessel remained unable to maneuver. The convoy departed once the ship was secured. The causes of the fire and any impact on the steel products being transported remain under investigation.