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By Ajnadin Mustafa.
Tripoli, 18 December 2015:
The Russian captain and two senior officers of a Russian oil tanker seized by Libya . . .[restrict]Dawn in September are due to face trial while seven other members of the crew of the Mekhanik Chebotarev have just been released.
According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the other crew members, all believed the be Russians, were freed earlier this week. The Libya Herald was today unable to obtain confirmation from the Russian embassy, currently relocated from Tripoli to Tunis.
The precise details of the arrest of the Mekhanik Chebotarev and its eleven crew, including one woman, remain unclear. It was detained by the Libyan Coastguard after it had left the waters off Zuwara, where it had allegedly been loaded by smaller vessels with a cargo of oil product. There was speculation that it may have been part of a fuel-smuggling operation to Malta.
Sadiq Al-Sour, head of the Public Prosecutor’s office told the Russian news agency today: “Seven sailors were released several days ago, while the case against the captain and his deputies has been sent to court. They have been charged with contraband.” [/restrict]
