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The work on the Arctic Sea is over - investigators
09/16/2009Investigative Committee at the RF Public Prosecutor's Office (ICP) has completed investigatory actions on Arctic Sea cargo vessel. That was said by Interfax on Wednesday, Sept, 16, referring to Vladimir Markin, the committee's official representative.
As to his words, Russian investigators had been working aboard in cooperation with Maltese police officers and Malta Maritime Authority (Malta is the ship's flag state).
RIA Novosti referring to ICP information specifies that the investigators of the committee are to leave the vessel by September, 18.
Additionally, the Investigative Committee reported that "the ship transfer with the participation of Spanish representatives is scheduled on Sept, 17-18 in Las-Palmas port, Gran Canaria Island, Spain". Meanwhile, as RIA Novosti remarks, there was no information of the vessel's receiver.
Russian investigators were authorized to search the Arctic Sea vessel after it had been arrested by Russian ship near Canaries late August.
It was previously said on Sept, 8 that the investigators had found only wood and timber aboard the Arctic Sea. Therefore, the information of illegal cargo (drugs or nuclear weapons) was refuted.
Besides, there was a version of Russian SAM systems aboard transported for Iran. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted that information.
The Arctic Sea cargo vessel transporting wood from Finland to Algeria stopped to get to radio contact late July. Since the vessel's crew members (15 men) are Russians, the RF authorities started the search-and-rescue operation. The ship was found on August, 17, and there were 8 men apart from the crew. They were citizens of Russia, Estonia, Latvia and stateless persons. Those persons were arrested and delivered to Moscow. They are accused in the vessel's hijacking.
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