17-08-2009, 12:26 AM
Missing cargo ship 'found' off Cape Verde
Russian warships are closing in on the missing cargo ship the Arctic Sea after it was spotted off the Cape Verde islands in west Africa by coastguards.
By Bruno Waterfield
Published: 8:59PM BST 14 Aug 2009
![[Image: arcticSeaShip_1461429c.jpg]](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01461/arcticSeaShip_1461429c.jpg)
The Arctic Sea, a Maltese-flagged cargo ship, was supposed to make port in Algeria with its cargo of timber on August 4 Photo: AP
Cape Verde coastguards reported that the Russian owned and crewed merchant vessel, which is thought to have been hijacked, has been seen cruising over 460 miles from archipelago, which lies 280 miles off the coast of Senegal.
"The Arctic Sea is some 400 nautical miles off one of the islands of Cape Verde, therefore outside its territorial waters," said an official, without specifying the vessel's precise location.
Related Articles
The Cape Verde authorities have hinted that the sighting may have followed an ongoing surveillance operation of the Maltese-flagged vessel by Nato or other international security agencies.
"The Cape Verde coastguard is in contact with international agencies and organisations that are continually informing it of the movement and progress of the ship," said the official.
Later, the French defence ministry confirmed the sighting, saying the ship had been "found", and was last seen about 520 miles off the islands.
Russian diplomatic sources said that at least one frigate was headed to the West African islands on Friday night in pursuit.
The sighting of the ship, the first since Aug 1, comes three weeks after its Russian crew of 15 reported a first boarding of the vessel in Swedish waters by 12 armed, English-speaking, men disguised as police officers.
According to European Union officials a second attack was reported a week later off the Portuguese coast, possibly by intruders who had remained as stowaways after the first attack.
The Russian state news agency Itar-Tass has reported that the original tip-off giving the Arctic Sea's location came from Russia's old Cold War rival Nato, with the French armed forces playing a key role.
Cmdr Chris Davies, the spokesman at Nato's British maritime headquarters, acknowledged that the Western military alliance had been monitoring the situation since the first reports of a possible hijacking.
Five Russian naval vessels, including frigates and nuclear submarines, are in the region after being scrambled on Wednesday in an international maritime hunt for the 4000 ton ship.
The sighting off Cape Verde, a key staging post for cocaine trafficking from Latin America, will renew speculation that the vessel could been have been hijacked by drug or arms smugglers.
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, was in Cape Verde on Friday on the final leg of an 11-day tour of Africa.
At a joint press conference with Jose Maria Pereira Neves, Cape Verde's prime minister, Mrs Clinton praised the former Portuguese colony as representing "a new and emerging Africa".
The Arctic Sea left the Finnish port of Pietarsaari on July 23 en route to the Algerian port of Bejaia with an official cargo manifest of sawn timber.
The ship has food supplies for a 45-day voyage and enough fuel for 40 days of cruising.
The freighter's Helsinki-based management company said it was "unaware of any report that the ship has been located".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...Verde.html
Russian warships are closing in on the missing cargo ship the Arctic Sea after it was spotted off the Cape Verde islands in west Africa by coastguards.
By Bruno Waterfield
Published: 8:59PM BST 14 Aug 2009
The Arctic Sea, a Maltese-flagged cargo ship, was supposed to make port in Algeria with its cargo of timber on August 4 Photo: AP Cape Verde coastguards reported that the Russian owned and crewed merchant vessel, which is thought to have been hijacked, has been seen cruising over 460 miles from archipelago, which lies 280 miles off the coast of Senegal.
"The Arctic Sea is some 400 nautical miles off one of the islands of Cape Verde, therefore outside its territorial waters," said an official, without specifying the vessel's precise location.
Related Articles
- Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Troup
- Prince William's navy ship in £40 million cocaine bust
- Roman shipwrecks found
- Cruise deals of the week
- Google Ocean: Atlantis 'found off Africa' turns out to be boat mapping lines
The Cape Verde authorities have hinted that the sighting may have followed an ongoing surveillance operation of the Maltese-flagged vessel by Nato or other international security agencies.
"The Cape Verde coastguard is in contact with international agencies and organisations that are continually informing it of the movement and progress of the ship," said the official.
Later, the French defence ministry confirmed the sighting, saying the ship had been "found", and was last seen about 520 miles off the islands.
Russian diplomatic sources said that at least one frigate was headed to the West African islands on Friday night in pursuit.
The sighting of the ship, the first since Aug 1, comes three weeks after its Russian crew of 15 reported a first boarding of the vessel in Swedish waters by 12 armed, English-speaking, men disguised as police officers.
According to European Union officials a second attack was reported a week later off the Portuguese coast, possibly by intruders who had remained as stowaways after the first attack.
The Russian state news agency Itar-Tass has reported that the original tip-off giving the Arctic Sea's location came from Russia's old Cold War rival Nato, with the French armed forces playing a key role.
Cmdr Chris Davies, the spokesman at Nato's British maritime headquarters, acknowledged that the Western military alliance had been monitoring the situation since the first reports of a possible hijacking.
Five Russian naval vessels, including frigates and nuclear submarines, are in the region after being scrambled on Wednesday in an international maritime hunt for the 4000 ton ship.
The sighting off Cape Verde, a key staging post for cocaine trafficking from Latin America, will renew speculation that the vessel could been have been hijacked by drug or arms smugglers.
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, was in Cape Verde on Friday on the final leg of an 11-day tour of Africa.
At a joint press conference with Jose Maria Pereira Neves, Cape Verde's prime minister, Mrs Clinton praised the former Portuguese colony as representing "a new and emerging Africa".
The Arctic Sea left the Finnish port of Pietarsaari on July 23 en route to the Algerian port of Bejaia with an official cargo manifest of sawn timber.
The ship has food supplies for a 45-day voyage and enough fuel for 40 days of cruising.
The freighter's Helsinki-based management company said it was "unaware of any report that the ship has been located".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...Verde.html
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.