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30 October 2009 / Michael L Nash
Issue: 7391 / Categories: Opinion , Commercial
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A maritime mystery

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Piracy has always had a spurious glamour. Since the 17th century no case has appeared in Europe. The “Brethren of the Coast” had effectively been controlled even in the Caribbean. However the saga of the Arctic Star, which disappeared at the end of July, has proved more surreal than the Hollywood film, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Piracy has always had a spurious glamour. Since the 17th century no case has appeared in Europe. The “Brethren of the Coast” had effectively been controlled even in the Caribbean. However the saga of the Arctic Star, which disappeared at the end of July, has proved more surreal than the Hollywood film, Pirates of the Caribbean.

The unanswered questions surrounding this ship, its disappearance and reappearance continue. Whatever the outcome, the legal dimension needs to be addressed and analysed. Clearly things happened which should not have happened.

Background

The convoluted story of the ship’s voyage involved an alleged hijacking off the coast of Sweden—after it had sailed from Finland, its close monitoring in the Channel, its disappearance

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