MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - All the crewmembers of the cargo ship at the center of a mysterious hijacking case have been formally recognized as victims of pirate attack, Russia's special investigations committee said on Friday.
The decision should end speculation based on media reports that some crewmembers on the Russian-crewed and Maltese-flagged vessel could have been in cahoots with the pirates.
On Thursday, the Arctic Sea was handed over to Maltese authorities. The ship was given permission to enter the port following a thorough inspection by Maltese officials.
A new crew of 14 sailors flew from Russia to Malta on Wednesday to replace the captain and three sailors who had remained on the vessel and will return home shortly.
The other 11 Russian crewmen have been sent home. They were held for several weeks for questioning by Russian authorities and were subsequently released, reportedly after being sworn to secrecy.
The Arctic Sea disappeared in the Atlantic on July 24 while carrying a $2 million shipment of timber from Finland to Algeria and was intercepted by the Russian Navy off West Africa on August 17, when eight alleged hijackers were arrested.
The head of Finnish company Solchart, the ship's operator, said the inspection showed the Arctic Sea was not carrying any illegal cargo.
The ship's disappearance, which triggered a major international search effort, raised suspicions about it carrying a "secret cargo" of drugs or weapons. Russian authorities have denied the rumors, saying the vessel was hijacked by criminals who demanded a ransom.
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