MV NOUR M

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Detained ship sank in Rhodes

The "Nour M" which was detained at the port of Rhodes, sank on Dec 11, 2013, due to strong winds blowing in the area. The vessel had been detained on the Dodecanese island after the Greek Coastguard and customs officials had detected thousands of bullets onboard after intercepting the ship on Nov 11. The vessel’s AIS had shown Greek authorities that "Nour M"’s captain had entered Syria as his final destination but had changed it to Tripoli, Libya, when he was stopped by the Greek coast guard. Officers believed the cargo ship was linked to the so-called “Odessa Network”, which has been described as a loose collection of logistics contractors operating for Russian and Ukrainian governments in order to get weapons to foreign regimes, including that of Syria's Bashar Al Assad. The vessel capsized to port along with its cargo of 55 containers after it was repeatedly battered against the overflooded quay, despite attempts to secure it since 10 a.m. after the ropes had broken, after having suffered severe stern damage. Greek Reports with photos and videos: http://www.tanea.gr/news/greece/article/5063444/boyliakse-sto-limani-ths-rodoy-to-nour-m-poy-eixe-katasxethei-me-fortio-pyromaxikwn/ http://www.enet.gr/?i=news-room.el&id=403922 http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22768&subid=2&pubid=63932241&mmid=28683123#videotop http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=547775 http://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/336093/vouliaxe-sto-limani-tis-rodou-to-fortigo-ploio-nour-m/ http://www.vimatisko.gr/?page=news&records=details&_p.id=15752 http://www.zougla.gr/greece/article/vouliakse-to-nour-m

Weapon containers unloaded in Rhodes

Offloading of containers from the "Nour M" commenced on Nov 13. The offloading was to be completed by the evening. The Greek Coast Guard said that arms were found in 8 containers. According to Ukrainian officials, the vessel was carrying a shipment of arms and ammunition destined for Libya, under a fully legal contract.

Suspected weapon smuggler searched in Rhodes

Coast guard and customs officials began checking the cargo on board the "Nour M" on Nov 11 after the ship was stopped of Rhodes on suspicion that it is carrying illegal arms and explosives. The vessel was alleged to be carrying 20,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles. Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis and Coast Guard chief Dimitris Bantias were expected to inspect the checks The captain has denied that the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel was carrying any illegal weapons and said the cargo was destined for Libya’s Defense Ministry and which were loaded in Ukraine to be transported to the Tripoli port and then delivered to the Libyan Defense Ministry. The Turkish crew was interrogated several times. Report with photo: http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/11/2013_527273