CurlyDarling
08-17-2009, 05:34 AM
http://english.pravda.ru/img/idb/q1-71.jpg
It is hard to find two sources that say the same thing about the curious case of the Russian cargo vessel Arctic Sea, which disappeared mysteriously among stories of piracy in the heart of the European Union, sightings confirmed and then denied. What are the facts and what are the myths?
Fact
On July 22, the Arctic Sea, 98 metres long, 4,000 tonnes, flying the Maltese flag, left Jakobstad, Finland, on route to Bejaia in Algeria, carrying a cargo of timber worth 1.8 million dollars. It should have arrived on August 4.
July 28. Contact confirmed by the British coastguard
July 30. Signal received off Brest (France)
August 12. The British coastguard states that the Arctic Sea was sighted off the Portuguese coast. President Dmitry Medvedev orders a search party to be sent from the Russian vessels in the Black Sea Fleet currently in the Atlantic Ocean.
Saturday, August 15. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) was activated briefly in the Bay of Biscay, according to the Russian maritime bulletin, Sovfrakht. However according to its editor, Mikhail Voitenko, the system could have been activated off the ship or the signal could have been faked.
The search operation proceeds in the region of Cape Verde but not in the territorial waters of this West African country. The frigate Ladny leads the Russian search party. The police forces of Russia, Finland, Sweden and Malta are investigating the case.
The ship could not have sunk without emitting a signal which would have been picked up by Russian or US satellites.
Fact or myth?
Attack in the Baltic Sea
July 24. Dawn. According to a crew member, reported by “Baltic media outlets” the ship was boarded near the Swedish island of Aland by a group of around ten masked men who claimed to be Swedish police officers. After tying up and assaulting the crew, they searched the ship for 12 hours and left in high-speed rubber boats.
Ransom demand
The Financial Times states that the ship was hijacked and that a ransom note of 1.5 million USD was delivered. Russian sources do not confirm this version. However, Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, stated that an operation is under way to guarantee the safety of the crew members.
It is hard to find two sources that say the same thing about the curious case of the Russian cargo vessel Arctic Sea, which disappeared mysteriously among stories of piracy in the heart of the European Union, sightings confirmed and then denied. What are the facts and what are the myths?
Fact
On July 22, the Arctic Sea, 98 metres long, 4,000 tonnes, flying the Maltese flag, left Jakobstad, Finland, on route to Bejaia in Algeria, carrying a cargo of timber worth 1.8 million dollars. It should have arrived on August 4.
July 28. Contact confirmed by the British coastguard
July 30. Signal received off Brest (France)
August 12. The British coastguard states that the Arctic Sea was sighted off the Portuguese coast. President Dmitry Medvedev orders a search party to be sent from the Russian vessels in the Black Sea Fleet currently in the Atlantic Ocean.
Saturday, August 15. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) was activated briefly in the Bay of Biscay, according to the Russian maritime bulletin, Sovfrakht. However according to its editor, Mikhail Voitenko, the system could have been activated off the ship or the signal could have been faked.
The search operation proceeds in the region of Cape Verde but not in the territorial waters of this West African country. The frigate Ladny leads the Russian search party. The police forces of Russia, Finland, Sweden and Malta are investigating the case.
The ship could not have sunk without emitting a signal which would have been picked up by Russian or US satellites.
Fact or myth?
Attack in the Baltic Sea
July 24. Dawn. According to a crew member, reported by “Baltic media outlets” the ship was boarded near the Swedish island of Aland by a group of around ten masked men who claimed to be Swedish police officers. After tying up and assaulting the crew, they searched the ship for 12 hours and left in high-speed rubber boats.
Ransom demand
The Financial Times states that the ship was hijacked and that a ransom note of 1.5 million USD was delivered. Russian sources do not confirm this version. However, Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, stated that an operation is under way to guarantee the safety of the crew members.