In this Dec. 29, 2008 photo the cargo ship the Arctic Sea is seen in Kotka, Finland. The Arctic Sea, a Maltese-flagged cargo ship, was supposed to make port in Algeria with its cargo of timber on August 4. More than a week later, there's no sign of the ship or its Russian crew. (AP Photo/Pekka Laakso/Lehitukuva)Hijacked Arctic Sea Feared To Be Carrying Secret Cargo Of Drugs -- The Telegraph
Russian warships and nuclear submarines have been scrambled in a full scale pirate hunt for a hijacked ship amid fears that the missing Arctic Sea vessel could be carrying a “secret cargo” of arms or drugs.
The 3,988-tonne Arctic Sea ship was last contacted by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency as it entered the English Channel two weeks ago.
However, that routine radio check, on July 28, took place before British and European coastguards received an alert warning that the Arctic Sea had been previously been attacked by armed intruders in Swedish waters. There are now fears the vessel, with 15 crew aboard and carrying almost £1 million-worth of sawn timber from Finland to Algeria, is under the control of pirates or gangsters.
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More News On The Suspected Case of Piracy
Ship passes through Channel and then disappears -- AP
Piracy or mafia row? Missing ship mystery deepens -- AFP
Russian navy joins hunt for ship -- BBC
Hunt for pirates after ship disappears from UK waters -- The Guardian
English Channel Pirate Ship Heads To Atlantic -- SKY News
Missing Ship Headed Into Atlantic - Maltese Officials -- New York Times
New piracy fear as ship disappears -- Press Association
Russia hunts for 'missing' ship -- BBC