Detention of two suspects for Arctic Sea capture prolonged to May 18

11.02.2010
On Feb 11 Moscow's Basmanny Court has prolonged detention term of two suspects for capture of cargo ship Arctic Sea to May 18 and granted a motion of investigators, informs RIA Novosti referring to lawyer of Alexander Samodaikin, one of figurants.

Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russian Procuracy Investigative Committee previously reported to Rossiyskaya Gazeta that investigation on cargo vessel Arctic Sea captured by pirates was coming to an end.

On July 24, 2009 at 11.00 pm Moscow time at the Baltic Sea a fast-speed inflatable boat with 8 Estonians, Latvians and Russians on board approached Maltese-flagged dry cargo ship Arctic Sea carrying timber from Finland to Algeria with 15-men Russian crew on board. Pretending their boat was broken, the criminals boarded the ship and menacing the crew with guns demanded full submission.

Later on, the vessel headed for African coast with navigation equipment switched off. On August 17 the ship was released by RNS frigate Ladny 300 nm off Cape Verde. Eight captors and eleven crewmen of Arctic Sea were delivered to Moscow. After that released sailors returned home to Arkhangelsk. Four crewmembers including the shipmaster, boatswain and engineer remained at the ship to hand her over to Maltese authorities. For some time the vessel could not call at Maltese port due to juridical protractions. Once all problems were resolved Arctic Sea delivered her cargo to Algeria and returned back to Finland late Dec 2009.

Russian Procuracy Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case based on part 3 clause 126 [kidnapping] and part 3 clause 227 [piracy] of RF Criminal Code.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: Arctic Sea (guardian.co.uk)