Moscow, Aug 17 (DPA) The crew of the missing freighter Arctic Sea are alive and free, Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said Monday.
He was quoted by Interfax news agency as telling the Kremlin that the vessel had been located during the night some 300 nautical miles off the Cape Verde islands.

The 15 Russian crew had been transferred to a Russian coastal protection vessel of the Black Sea fleet, the Ladny, and were being questioned.

The Arctic Sea disappeared three weeks ago under mysterious circumstances en route to Algeria, and had been the object ever since of an international hunt involving among others the Finnish owners, authorities in Malta - where the vessel is registered - and Sweden.

Information has also been exchanged with authorities in some 20 countries - including Russia from where the 15-strong crew hailed - via various channels including Interpol and Europol.

Recent reports - including one Sunday quoting a French naval spokesman - had indicated the vessel had been tracked near the Cap Verde islands, off the West African coast.

The fate of the Arctic Sea remained a mystery since July 24 when a group of armed men allegedly posing as drug enforcement officers boarded the vessel in Swedish waters.

After 12 hours, the men left the vessel without taking anything, according to the crew. The ensuing investigation has included alleged hijacking.

The freighter left Finland July 23, transporting timber worth some 1.3 million euros ($1.8 million) to Algeria.