A Russian journalist has fled the country after making suggestions that the Arctic Sea cargo ship was carrying illegal weapons. The cargo ship was apparently hi-jacked in July by men disguised as police men.
Mikhail Voitenko, the editor of online maritime journal
Sovfracht, fled the country on Wednesday after being told to leave or face arrest. He has indicated that he may not be able to return for fear of putting his life in danger.
Mikhail Voitenko was among the first to cast doubt on the official explanations given about the disappearance of the ship. Talking to the
BBC he said it was "nonsense to suggest pirates had been involved".
His own suggestion is that, as part of a private business deal with state officials, the ship was carrying a secret shipment of illegal weapons.
While talking to the BBC from his apparent current location, Turkey, he explained that he had received a phone call he described as threatening and came from "serious people". He suggests that they could be members of the FSB, the Russian Intelligence agency.
Mr Voitenko said that the people who were involved in the case of the Arctic Sea were "very angry" with him because he had voiced his suggestions publicly. He also said that the caller told him they were planning on taking action against him.
He also said: "As long as I am out of Russia I feel safe. At least they won't be able to get me back to Russia and convict [me]."
He also stated that NATO was aware of exactly what had gone on with the Arctic Sea. However, a NATO spokesman stated that they had been in contact with Russia the entire time. NATO wouldn't comment further.
The FSB made no comment on the journalists allegations.
The Arctic Sea, a 4,000 tonne Maltese flagged vessel, disappeared in July just days after leaving Finland with what was believed to be a cargo of timber worth £1.1million ($1.8m) and was destined for Bejaia, an Algerian port.
However, mystery has been the key word in the ships disappearance. There was some speculation that the Israeli foreign intelligence service, Mossad, had intercepted the ship to try and prevent illegal arms being shipped to the Middle East.
Some have questioned why hijackers would attempt such a hijacking in the English Channel, one of Europe's busiest shipping lanes for a cargo of timber.
Eight men have been charged with the hijacking and with piracy. The men, mostly from Estonia, are suspected of boarded the ship disguised as police and then seized the ship and the crew of fifteen Russian sailors.
On the
16th of August the ship was spotted 300 miles (480km) off the west coast of Africa and after the alleged hi-jackers were taken to Russia.
Russian authorities are waiting for the ship to arrive in the Russian port of Novorossiisk where they will carry out a thorough inspection of the ship, although they say that nothing suspicious was found on board after it was found last month.
BBC World Service broadcast.
