Arctic Sea repaired, still docked in Maltese port
14:10 06/11/2009 ST. PETERSBURG, November 6 (RIA Novosti) - The Arctic Sea freighter, the vessel at the centre of a mysterious hijacking case this summer, has been repaired but is still anchored at a Maltese port, a source at the ship's operator said on Friday.
Solchart, the operating company, said on Tuesday that the freighter would proceed to its original destination to deliver its long-overdue cargo on Thursday.
"Repairs have been completed, [but] the vessel has not yet set off," the source said.
He did not specify when the Arctic Sea would leave the port.
The Arctic Sea disappeared in the Atlantic on July 24 while carrying a $2 million shipment of timber from Finland to Algeria. It was intercepted by the Russian Navy off West Africa on August 17, when eight alleged hijackers were arrested.
The ship's disappearance, which triggered a major international search effort, raised suspicions that it was carrying a "secret cargo" of drugs or weapons. Russian authorities have denied the rumors, saying the vessel was hijacked by criminals who demanded a ransom.
The ship had been anchored to the east of Gibraltar for weeks and guarded by two Russian vessels as Algeria, the vessel's original destination, denied the vessel entry. It was then towed to Malta.
Four sailors, who had remained on board the Arctic Sea, returned on Monday to their home base in northern Russia.
The other 11 Russian crewmen have already been sent home. They were held for several weeks for questioning by Russian authorities and were subsequently released, reportedly after being sworn to secrecy. A new crew of 14 sailors has arrived in Malta.
The Arctic Sea was handed over to Maltese authorities in late October. The ship was given permission to enter the port following a thorough inspection by Maltese officials.
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