20 Aug 2009 11:33

Arctic Sea crew, suspected captors brought to Moscow

RUSSIA-VESSEL-CREW-ARRIVAL

Arctic Sea crew, suspected captors brought to Moscow

MOSCOW. Aug 20 (Interfax) - Two Ilyushin Il-76 military-transport planes - one carrying the crew of the Arctic Sea dry-cargo vessel and the other the suspected captors - landed at Chkalovsky military airfield near Moscow at 10:40 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Thursday.

The planes brought in the 15 crewmembers from Cape Verde and eight suspected captors, as well as investigators who are probing the seizure of the Arctic Sea.

Representatives of law enforcement services had been awaiting the planes' arrival on the landing strip, according to witnesses.

Defense Ministry buses, military traffic police vehicles and other means of transportation of law enforcement services arrived at Chkalovsky on Thursday morning.