Maritime officials say a merchant cargo ship that disappeared off the coast of France two weeks ago is headed out into the Atlantic Ocean, reinforcing the likelihood that it has been hijacked.
Russian warships were ordered to join the hunt for the Arctic Sea, a 4000-tonne bulk carrier with a 15-strong Russian crew that went missing shortly after passing through the Dover Strait between France and Britain.
The Maltese-registered, Finnish-chartered vessel was sailing from Finland to the Algerian port of Bejaia with a $1.3 million load of timber.
It was due to have docked on 4 August.
The Malta Maritime Authority says it would appear the ship has not approached the Straits of Gibraltar, which indicates it is headed out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Maritime experts say if the vessel has been seized by hijackers it is possible they intend to use it as an unregistered "ghost ship", or pirates may be trying to test security levels in northern European waters.
