Pirates in Northern Europe?
 

It doesn't seem likely IMO. At least in Somalia, once they board the ship they can take it to a friendly port and hold the ship for ransom. But where could they possibly go in Northern Europe?

The last AIS entry for this vessel is from July the 29th, which puts it smack dead center in the western end of the Channel.

From the story, it seemed they reported being boarded and that the assailants left after around 12 hours. The whole thing is very odd.

EDIT: According to AIS it sailed through the Baltic Sea, around Denmark, passing through the Skaggerag, entered the North Sea and proceded on a south-westerly course.

EDIT 2: Link to AIS iternary for "ARCTIC SEA"
http://marinetraffic.com/ais/datashe...app=&B1=Search

Medvedev has ordered the Russian Navy to search for it, including some nuclear subs apparently:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8197248.stm

Very random occurance, unusual to get pirates in European waters, well, this side of the 15th century anyway.

Russian Mafia perhaps? :hmmm:

Looks like high-jacking.

I knew it, those treacherous French are at it again!

Vikings Reborn.. maybe they need the timber for their Longboats? :hmmm:

To arms my men, we fight the villainous foe!

http://www.murphsplace.com/crowe/ima...rprise-063.jpg

.....


*locks up his fiance*

Could be a Russian 'Philadelphia' type experiment....the testing of a new cloaking device....or perhaps she simply foundered in rough weather and didn't get off a distress call :hmmm:

Whats the betting its one bunch of heroin smugglers screwing over another bunch?

If the pirates sank the ship we may never know what was on board ...

Something they wanted was on board thats for sure ...

Sounds like the beginning of a James Bond movie, but of course it's not ...

Very interesting :yep:

I remember I read about this about two weeks ago, but thought it was a joke or something.... pirates in Baltic Sea :arrgh!:, not for the last 6-700 years or more....

:hmmm:

Maybe it really is some kind of mafia related crime, extorsion or something. Maybe they have loaded the wood from The Arctic Sea to another ship and scuttled The Arctic Sea.

Media refer to "unspecified intelligence sources" that the ship lies unrecognised in an African harbour. If so, I would assume it to be likely that thanks to the inconsistent way in which the piracy at Somalia is adressed (or better: not adressed), the example of the somali pirates has spread. And why not if these pirates show the world since 18 months that their business model works so well. Success triggers copying, doesn't it.