Russian warships joined an international search today for a 4,000 tonne cargo ship that mysteriously disappeared off the coast of France two weeks ago, leading to speculation it may have been hijacked.
The Maltese-flagged bulk carrier, Arctic Sea, with a 15-strong Russian crew, failed to arrive at the Algerian port of Bejaia on August 4 as planned and the last communication with it occurred on July 28.
"Under the orders of President Dmitry Medvedev all Russian navy ships in the Atlantic have been sent to join the search for the Arctic Sea," news agency Itar Tass quoted Navy commander, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, as saying.
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the Arctic Sealast made radio contact with maritime officials on July 28 before entering the Dover Strait between Britain and France.
The Malta Maritime Authority said it received reports it was boarded by men posing as police in Swedish waters on July 24, days before it entered the Dover Strait.
The vessel was boarded by "eight to twelve persons allegedly masked and wearing uniforms bearing the word 'police' and armed with guns and pistols," the Maltese authority said.
"During their stay on board, members of the crew were allegedly assaulted, tied, gagged and blindfolded and some were seriously injured," it said.
The Maltese Maritime Authority said the crew were reportedly subjected to "hard" questioning related to drug trafficking by those posing as police.
It said Swedish authorities on Wednesday told Maltese officials none of its law enforcement agencies were involved in the incident.
The ship, chartered by a Finnish company and carrying a cargo of timber, began its voyage at the Finnish port of Pietarsaari.
But after passing through the Dover Strait its transponder, which electronically gives its position, appears to have been switched off and only visual sightings have been made since.
The vessel's movements were last recorded on the AisLive ship tracking system off the coast of Brest, northern France, on July 30, although there are reports that it may have been spotted off the coast of Portugal more recently.
Reuters