The Russian Ro-Ro cargo ship Lady Mariia was attacked by drones in the Mediterranean after leaving Algeria on September 6.
The Russian-flagged Ro-Ro cargo ship Lady Mariia (IMO 9220641) was attacked by multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Mediterranean Sea after departing from the Port of Oran, Algeria. The attack reportedly took place on September 6 in the maritime area between Crete and Libya.
Built in 2000 and with a carrying capacity of approximately 7,184 dwt, Lady Mariia left Oran on September 1 and was heading east in the Mediterranean. The ship is notable for its large cranes, which facilitate the transportation of deck cargo and cargo handling in ports, in addition to its Ro-Ro capacity. Ship tracking data indicates that the vessel was sailing east in the Mediterranean prior to the attack.
Bombs were dropped onto the deck in succession.
Images circulating on the internet regarding the attack show multiple UAVs approaching the ship and dropping munitions onto the deck. Reports indicate that a small fire broke out on the ship following some of the impacts.
According to an assessment by maritime security company Ambrey, at least eight munitions were observed being dropped onto the vessel in the footage. Russian opposition journalist Aleksandr Nevzorov claimed that the ship was hit 12 times. This number has not been independently verified.
Initial assessments suggest that the attacks may have caused damage to the ship's deck equipment, cranes, and superstructure sections. However, there is no verified information indicating that the hull of the ship sustained serious breaches or took on water at a level that would cause sinking.
Who is behind the attack?
At this stage, no one has officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
Some Ukraine-linked sources suggest that the attack was carried out by Ukraine, while Nevzorov claimed that the UAVs may have been launched from Libyan territory. However, the perpetrator of the attack, the launch point of the UAVs, and the manner in which the attack was executed have not been verified by independent sources. Ukrainian authorities have also not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
Why might Lady Mariia have been targeted?
Beyond being an ordinary commercial Ro-Ro ship, Lady Mariia is on sanction lists due to its connection to Russia's military logistics activities.
Ukrainian Defense Intelligence identifies the ship as one used for transporting military cargo and weapons. According to the agency, the vessel was previously used to transport weapons from Syria to Russia. MG-Flot LLC, listed as the operator and owner of the ship, is also under sanctions.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's OFAC sanctions records also list Lady Mariia as a Russian-flagged Ro-Ro ship. The record notes the ship's connection to MG-Flot LLC and its IMO number 9220641.
The ship was previously named Stella-Maria and has operated under names such as Scan Finlandia, Rickmers Finlandia, BBC Finlandia, BBC Konan, Rio Konan, Ocean Dream, and Global Carrier.
The third attack on Russian-linked ships in the Mediterranean.
The attack on Lady Mariia is considered a new link in a chain of attacks on Russian-linked commercial vessels in the Mediterranean in recent times.
In December 2025, a tanker named Qendil, which was under sanctions, was attacked in the Mediterranean, and in March 2026, the Russian-linked Arctic Metagaz LNG ship was also targeted in the Mediterranean. Security company Windward views the attack on Lady Mariia as a continuation of these incidents.
The current status of the ship.
Data indicates that Lady Mariia's AIS signal was lost on the evening of September 5. Previous AIS records show that the ship was traveling east at approximately 9 knots in the Mediterranean. Following the attack, there are varying reports regarding the ship's exact location and operational status.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
