Hijackers demand ransom for Arctic Sea – Defence Ministry

MOSCOW. August 19. KAZINFORM. Russia's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday hijackers of the Arctic Sea freighter demanded ransom and warned that they would explode the ship if their demands were not met; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

"At present, hijackers and crewmembers of the Arctic Sea are being inquired," a ministry official said. "The members of the crew confirm that hijackers demanded ransom and threatened to blow up the ship in case of non-fulfillment of their orders."

"The crewmembers also confirm that people who attacked the ship were armed and threw away their guns, when the Russian navy from the Ladny anti-submarine warfare vessel ordered them to stop the ship," the official said. "During the inspection a high-speed inflatable boat and sacks with ship boarding equipment were found onboard"; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.