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| Russia detains ship 'hijackers' | Russia detains ship 'hijackers' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Eight people have been arrested for hijacking the cargo ship Arctic Sea, Russia's defence minister says. | Eight people have been arrested for hijacking the cargo ship Arctic Sea, Russia's defence minister says. |
| Anatoly Serdyukov said the group of suspects included Russian, Estonian and Latvian nationals. | Anatoly Serdyukov said the group of suspects included Russian, Estonian and Latvian nationals. |
| The Arctic Sea went off the radar after passing through the English Channel in late July, but was found late on Sunday far south in the Atlantic. | The Arctic Sea went off the radar after passing through the English Channel in late July, but was found late on Sunday far south in the Atlantic. |
| Speculation about what happened to the ship included suggestions of piracy, a mafia dispute or a commercial row. | |
| The ship's owners had reported that the vessel was attacked 24 July in Swedish waters. name="up"> class="bodl" href="#map">Click here for a map charting reported sightings of the Arctic Sea | |
| The hijackers had approached the Arctic Sea in a dinghy, claiming they needed help to repair their vessel, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Mr Serdyukov as saying. | |
| But once on board the cargo ship, they threatened the crew with guns and forced them to sail south, the defence minister said. | But once on board the cargo ship, they threatened the crew with guns and forced them to sail south, the defence minister said. |
| Second attack? | |
| The suspects include four Estonians, two Latvians and two Russians. | The suspects include four Estonians, two Latvians and two Russians. |
| What happened to the Arctic Sea? | |
| Mr Serdyukov said an investigation was under way aboard the Russian warship Ladny, where the Arctic Sea's 15-strong crew members and the suspected pirates were being questioned. | Mr Serdyukov said an investigation was under way aboard the Russian warship Ladny, where the Arctic Sea's 15-strong crew members and the suspected pirates were being questioned. |
| The Ladny joined the hunt for the missing ship last week after Moscow deployed the strength of its Atlantic fleet to find the Maltese-flagged ship. | |
| Carrying timber reportedly worth $1.8m (£1.1m), the 4,000-tonne Arctic Sea sailed from Finland and had been scheduled to dock in the Algerian port of Bejaia on 4 August. | |
| The crew reported having been boarded by up to 10 armed men as the ship sailed through the Baltic Sea, but the intruders were reported to have left the vessel on an inflatable boat after 12 hours. | |
| Ransom demand | |
| There are also reports of the ship being attacked a second time off the Portuguese coast. | |
| FROM BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | |
| However, the vessel's operators said they had no knowledge of the incident and Portugal said the ship was never in its territorial waters. | |
| Before being found, the last known contact with the crew was when the Arctic Sea reported to British maritime authorities in Dover as it passed through the busy shipping waters of the English Channel. | |
| It was then sighted in the Bay of Biscay on 30 July. | It was then sighted in the Bay of Biscay on 30 July. |
| Last weekend, a multinational investigation was launched after police in Finland said a ransom demand had been made, while emphasising that they could not confirm its authenticity. | |
| The Arctic Sea was eventually found on Sunday night 300 miles (480 km) off Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. | The Arctic Sea was eventually found on Sunday night 300 miles (480 km) off Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |