Arctic Sea to be inspected off Malta

The Arctic Sea, the cargo ship that mysteriously went missing for two weeks this summer, will be screened for radioactive and chemical materials before being allowed to sail into Malta this morning.

The Maltese-flagged ship is expected to sail in at about 4.30 but not before the Civil Protection Department conducts the tests when the vessel is 14 miles out, government sources said.

The fate of the vessel, manned by a Russian crew, was shrouded in intrigue after it was hijacked in Swedish waters in late July before being recovered by the Russian navy in the Atlantic Ocean several weeks later.

The Russian authorities have already carried out their own tests and declared the ship safe with no illegal or unsafe cargo onboard. This followed speculation in the international press that the vessel (which was officially carrying timber) had a secret cargo of weapons.

The Maltese authorities felt they had to carry out independent tests.

The Malta Maritime Authority said yesterday the ship would only be allowed into Malta after receiving the CPD's go-ahead, the police and the maritime authority itself.

If cleared, the ship will be escorted into port to undergo repairs, mainly to its communication systems, surveying and certification. It will then be handed back to its owners outside Maltese territorial waters next week, the authority said.

The Arctic Sea, officially carrying lumber from Finland to Algeria, was boarded by a group of eight men on July 24. Officials later said it had disappeared in the Atlantic. It was freed off Cape Verde on August 16 by a Russian warship.