MURMANSK, June 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russian coast guards have detained a Norwegian ship in the Barents Sea for illegally crossing the Russian maritime border, the Federal Security Service said on Wednesday.
"The freighter crossed the Russian border some 40 miles from its declared coordinates, and five hours earlier than scheduled," an FSB spokesman said.
The ship, traveling from northeast Norway's port town of Kirkenes, had failed to respond to Russian border authorities' attempts to communicate. The ship was headed for the Russian city of Murmansk.
The vessel's captain has admitted to violating border rules and has agreed to pay a fine, the spokesman said.
Russia and Norway have been involved in a decades-long dispute over maritime boundaries in the Barents Sea, which is rich in oil and gas reserves, as well as fishing resources.
