Posted on 10/19/2005 9:22:06 AM PDT by george76
A Russian trawler which took flight with two Norwegian inspectors on board after refusing to obey orders to halt, crossed into Russian waters and was on its way to the northern port of Murmansk, Russian fleet officials said.
The trawler Electron, accompanied by the Russian anti-submarine frigate Admiral Levchenko which joined it at midnight, "crossed into Russian territorial waters and are going to Murmansk along the border," the Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said as quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.
On the other side of the border, they are trailed by the Norwegian ships in constant communication with the Admiral Levchenko," Dygalo said, adding assurances that "the situation is under control and is not conflictual."
The Electron took off with two Norwegian inspectors, who had stopped the vessel to investigate it for illegal fishing in the Barents Sea, on Saturday, and had been fleeing the Norwegian coast guard since then.
Norway claims full sovereignty of the waters in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic, where the Electron was stopped, but Russia does not recognize that claim.
After the two inspectors boarded the Elektron it initially headed for Tromsoe in northern Norway on orders from the Norwegian authorities, but then changed its route on Sunday and has since refused to comply with Norwegian demands.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
This kind of incident demonstrates that Russia is not a serious country.
Oh they are very serious! Just ask that airliner that strayed into their airspace back in the 80's
The only reason this is getting any attention is because the Norwegian inspectors were onboard when the Russian captain decided to make a run for it. I have a friend who used to work the Alaskan fishing fleet and said it happens all the time from both sides.
Those Ruskies will be sorry messing with Norway...
John Carpenters' "The Thing"?
With another countries Inspectors on board?
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