Mystery ship
August 26, 2009
Russian officials have admitted for the first time that the cargo on board the mysterious vessel Arctic Sea may have been suspect.
Russian General Nikolai Makarov said that investigators would search the Arctic Sea when it arrives in Russia, adding that the nature of the ship's cargo has to be clarified.
"We want to make sure that there is nothing but timber on board this ship," Makarov told reporters during a visit to Mongolia.
"The motive for the seizure is simply not very clear," he said.
The Maltese-flagged Arctic Sea was on its way to Algeria, reportedly with a load of timber, when it disappeared for over two weeks. Officials have said the ship was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Sweden before being recaptured by the Russian navy.
There has been intense media speculation that the ship was not carrying timber, as has been reported, but instead had weapons, nuclear material or other suspect cargo on board.
Moscow's top investigator, Alexander Bastrykin, told the official government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta that complete information would be available in just over a week.
"We do not rule out the possibility that the Arctic Sea transported something other than wood," Bastrykin said.
Conflicting information
This latest announcement from Russian officials contradicts previous statements from other officials saying the ship was not carrying sensitive cargo.
Russia has arrested four Estonians, two Latvians and two Russians on suspicion of hijacking the Arctic Sea.
Russia has also questioned the crew of the ship and officials said preliminary searches of the cargo found nothing suspicious.
Bastrykin said the new examination of the vessel was required so there were "no dark spots in this story."
"This is why we asked the crew members to stay on in Moscow," Bastrykin said.
"We also have to clarify whether any one of them may be involved in these events," he said.
Contact was lost with the Arctic Sea in late July after the ship sailed through the English Channel.
Author: ca/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Chuck Penfold