[Brief] Baltic, Atlantic. Arctic Sea Odyssey, first episodes (v3)

(BRUSSELS2) The Arctic Sea was not the victim of an act of piracy. The European Commission denied today (August 14) in July that the disappearance of the Arctic Sea between the English Channel and the Atlantic could not be attributed to an act of piracy. Summer briefs.

(Friday July 24) A Finnish merchant ship, under the Maltese flag, with a Russian crew is attacked, on July 24,… in the Baltic Sea.

Yes, you read correctly ! This is the first act of piracy in these waters since the end of the Second World War. The Arctic Sea carried timber from Finland to Algeria. The hooded "pirates" stormed the boat in the night, posing as police officers looking for narcotics. They stayed 12 hours on board. Then left the boat without really taking anything. The boat then continued on its way to Algeria. The investigation was entrusted to the Swedish police, as the incident took place in its waters. According to a Swedish daily, the "pirates" would have taken the wrong ship. However, the case remains mysterious.

(Tuesday August 11) Still no news from the merchant vessel “Arctic sea disappeared from radar screens in the Atlantic as it was en route to Algeria (where it should have arrived on August 4).

This Finnish merchant ship, under the Maltese flag, with a Russian crew, was attacked on July 24,… in the Baltic Sea, by a team of pirates who only stayed on board for 12 hours before leaving the scene. The ship then continued on its way before disappearing… mysteriously. His last sign of life was on August 1st. Its owner Solchart has asked Russia for help in finding it. According to the commander of the Russian naval forces, quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency, four warships attached to the Russian Black Sea Fleet are currently in the region, between Gibraltar and off the Portuguese coast.

(Friday August 14) "We have to be very careful," said Martin Selmayr, the Commission's chief spokesman.

More “The services of the European Commission are fully aware of what appears to be the disappearance of a ship flying the EU flag. Radio signals WOULD have been received from this ship which WOULD have been attacked, twice, off the Swedish coast and then off the Portuguese coast. According to available information, these reported attacks have nothing to do with traditional acts of piracy or attack at sea for theft. Coordination between the Member States concerned is underway. No additional comments from the European Commission so as not to prevent ongoing operations.” concludes the spokesperson, who will say no more.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Read also: Disappearance of the Arctic Sea. Piracy, not piracy but so what

Updated August 11 and August 14