Ransom Demand Made for Lost Ship

(NEWSER) - The Russian-crewed Arctic Sea has been spotted off the coast of West Africa today, say French officials who claim to have seen a ship resembling it near the Cape Verde islands. The Arctic Sea, last seen on July 30, is carrying $1.8 million in lumber and was due to deliver it to a port in Algeria, the Guardian reports. Watchers have suggested the hijacking could have been inspired by a Russian commercial dispute. More»

(NEWSER) - The hijackers of the Russian-crewed freighter Arctic Sea planned to destroy it if their ransom demand was not met, Reuters reports. “The crew members have already confirmed that the captors demanded a ransom and threatened to blow up the vessel,” says a Russian defense official. There was no comment on speculation that the ship—found Monday by Russia’s navy—was carrying something more sinister than lumber. More»

(NEWSER) - The Russian ship that mysteriously disappeared nearly three weeks ago has been found off the West African coast, with all 15 crew members aboard, Russia’s defense minister announced today. The crew is now aboard the Russian frigate that found them. The defense minister said the crew was not under armed control when found, but declined to give any other details. More»

(AP) - 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 today. The suspected hijackers were detained by the naval vessel that found the Russian-crewed freighter yesterday off Cape Verde, thousands of miles from the Algerian port where it was supposed to dock two weeks ago. More»

Brits reportedly safe after yacht seized off Somalia

(NEWSER) - A British couple whose yacht went missing in the Indian Ocean four days ago is being held by Somali pirates. The couple was captured during a round-the-world trip while sailing from the Seychelles to Tanzania; five international warships were searching hundreds of miles off the African coast for the pair. A pirate told the Times of London that they had "hijacked" the boat and that the couple was "healthy and in our hands." More»