Russian defense minister says missing freighter found near Cape Verde, crew alive

September 8th, 2009 Russian FM denies S-300 missiles on hijacked shipMOSCOW — Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday rejected speculation that a hijacked Russian-crewed freighter was carrying S-300 missiles possibly destined for Iran. Russia said the freighter Arctic Sea was seized by pirates in the Baltic Sea in late July after leaving a Finnish port.

August 27th, 2009 Russia charges 8 in Arctic Sea caseMOSCOW — Russia has formally filed criminal charges against eight alleged hijackers of the freighter Arctic Sea, whose voyage is still heavily shrouded in mystery. The General Prosecutor's Investigative Committee said Thursday seven of the suspects are being charged with kidnapping and piracy and the eighth with organizing the crimes.

August 20th, 2009 Arctic Sea crew, hijackers arrive in MoscowMOSCOW — The crew and the suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea arrived in Moscow on Thursday, news agencies reported, days after the freighter was found by Russian naval forces off West Africa. Three Russian air force planes arrived at a military airport outside Moscow from the Cape Verde islands, Interfax and ITAR-Tass said.

August 20th, 2009 Arctic Sea crew, hijackers to arrive in MoscowMOSCOW — The Russian Defense Ministry says the crew and the suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea freighter are being flown to Moscow from Cape Verde by the Russian air force. Ministry spokesman Col.

August 20th, 2009 Developments in the search for the ship Arctic SeaKey developments in the voyage of the freighter Arctic Sea. July 21 — Arctic Sea departs from Finnish port carrying timber bound for Algeria, with a 15-man Russian crew.

August 19th, 2009 Russia insist ship hijackers sought ransomMOSCOW — The Russian Defense Ministry insists that the hijackers of the Arctic Sea ship demanded ransom. The ship's alleged disapearance last week is the focus of an international investigation.

August 18th, 2009 Russia arrests 8 suspects in ship hijackingMOSCOW — Russia's navy arrested eight men accused of hijacking the Arctic Sea freighter near Sweden and forcing the crew to sail to West Africa, the defense minister said Tuesday. Anatoly Serdyukov said the suspected hijackers were detained by the naval vessel that found the Russian-crewed freighter Monday off Cape Verde, thousands of miles (kilometers) from the Algerian port where it was supposed to dock two weeks ago.

August 18th, 2009 8 suspects in Arctic Sea hijacking reportedly heldMOSCOW — Russia's navy detained eight men accused of hijacking the Arctic Sea freighter near Sweden and forcing the crew to sail to West Africa, state news agencies quoted the defense minister as saying Tuesday. Anatoly Serdyukov reportedly said the suspected hijackers — citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Russia — were detained by a Russian naval ship without a shot being fired.

August 17th, 2009 Russia: Missing ship found off Cape Verde, crew OKMOSCOW — The high seas mystery over the freighter Arctic Sea was far from solved Monday after the Russian navy found the ship off West Africa, far from the Algerian port where it was supposed to dock two weeks ago. A full cargo of questions remained: Was the ship attacked near Sweden as reported? Was this an unheard-of case of piracy in European waters? Or a murky commercial dispute? Why was the Arctic Sea found off Cape Verde, some 2,000 miles from its intended port? Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov informed President Dmitry Medvedev that the Russian-crewed freighter had been found safe about 300 miles from Cape Verde and that the 15 crew members were taken aboard another vessel for questioning.

August 17th, 2009 Key developments in search for missing shipKey developments in the search for the ship Arctic Sea, which disappeared along with its 15-man Russian crew in the Atlantic nearly three weeks ago. July 21 — Arctic Sea departs from Finnish port with timber cargo bound for Algeria.

August 15th, 2009 Reports conflict over vanished ship's whereaboutsMOSCOW — A Russian maritime Web site said the tracking system for a freighter missing since last month was broadcasting signals on Saturday from the Bay of Biscay, but French Marines said the signals were coming from Russian warships. The contradictory claims deepened the mystery surrounding the ship, the Arctic Sea.

August 15th, 2009 Report: Vanished ship's signal appears off FranceMOSCOW — A Russian maritime Web site said the tracking system for a freighter missing since last month was broadcasting signals on Saturday from the Bay of Biscay, but French Marines said the signals were coming from Russian warships. The contradictory claims deepened the mystery surrounding the ship, the Arctic Sea.

August 15th, 2009 Finland says ransom demanded for missing shipMOSCOW — A ransom demand has been received for the return of a Russian-manned freighter that went missing last month in the Atlantic, Finnish investigators said Saturday. It was not immediately clear if the ransom demand was legitimate, and the whereabouts of the Arctic Sea, its 15 crew members and its €1.3 million ($1.8 million) cargo of timber remain a mystery.

August 14th, 2009 Missing cargo ship found near Cape VerdeMOSCOW — A Russian-manned cargo ship that vanished last month in the Atlantic was found Friday near Cape Verde off the coast of West Africa, according to French and Russian officials. There was no immediate information about the condition of the crew or whether there was anyone else onboard.

August 14th, 2009 Clinton ends Africa tour in Cape VerdeSANTA MARIA, Cape Verde — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is wrapping up an 11-day tour of Africa in Cape Verde, praising the island nation for democratic reforms and sound financial policy.