MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - The...

The Maltese-flagged vessel, officially carrying lumber from Russia to Algeria, was reportedly boarded by a group of eight men on July 24 and mysteriously disappeared in the Atlantic. It was discovered off Cape Verde on August 16 by Russia"s Ladny frigate and is currently being towed to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk.

"The Arctic Sea and the the Ladny have entered the eastern Atlantic and are currently two or three days" travel from Gibraltar. In the next 24 hours the ships will head for the Mediterranean Sea," a spokesman for Russia"s naval rescue coordination center said.

The spokesman added that the vessels could make a port call near Gibraltar, dismissing earlier reports that no port calls have been planned.

Russian and international media has been rife with rumors that the Russian-operated ship could have been involved in an arms-smuggling or trafficking operation on a state level, including suggestions that Russia attempted to deliver missiles

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