On August 21, Basman Court of Moscow issued the arrest warrant of the 8 suspects of Arctic Sea bulk-carrier hijacking. Of eight persons involved, three have no citizenship and are currently detained under judicial restraint. At that, all deny their involvement in piracy and kidnapping.

In the court they testified, that ran into a gale and had to be “evacuated” aboard of bulk-carrier. However, Arctic Sea crew insists the kidnappers used violence and menaced with guns.

Arctic Sea bulk-carrier disappeared in late July with 15-member crew and about U.S. $2m lumber aboard. On August 16, Russian Navy spotted the bulk-carrier in the Atlantic 300 miles away from the Cape Verde Islands.