Massive explosion of cargo ship off the coast of Georgia
Moscow, May 15, 2010 – The Russian Ministry of Defence has just been notified that there was a massive explosion on the cargo ship originally en route to Abkhazia. The ship had been seized by the Georgian Coast Guard and was being towed to the port town of Poti, Georgia when it suddenly caught on fire and exploded about 70 kilometers offshore.
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov has issued the following statement: “At this time, we are not certain what caused the explosion on board the ship; currently, all possibilities are being examined. However, we do know that the name of the ship is Joya del Oeste, belonging to Compania Anonima Venezolana de Navegacion (CAVN), a state-owned Venezuelan shipping company.”
The Russian Federation is deeply concerned about Georgian involvement in the explosion and is demanding a full investigation into the causes of the explosion. Minister Serdyukov stated: “The Russian Forces are ready for any intervention if need be.”
