The sinking of a cargo ship linked to the Russian military off Spain’s southeastern coast made a literal splash in Dec. 2024, but Spanish media triggered even bigger waves when it recently claimed that the vessel was carrying nuclear reactor parts bound for North Korea.

The Spanish daily La Verdad, citing unnamed investigators, reported last month that the Ursa Major was carrying coolant and steam piping components for two Russian VM-4SG nuclear reactors, as well as their covers, when it sank on Dec. 23, 2024.

The outlet suggested that the ship was sailing not for Vladivostok as declared but