Crew of ship failed to disclose ‘atomic bomb’-sized cargo

GREECE yesterday said a seized ship carrying an “atomic bomb”-sized quantity of dynamite was destined for a phantom company in Sudan and the crew had been charged with transporting explosives.

Greek Shipping Minister George Anomeritis said the vessel did not report its 680-tonne cargo of explosives when the coast guard stopped it on Sunday night after its movement aroused suspicions.

“It should have reported that it was sailing with an atomic bomb cargo,” Anomeritis said, referring to the quantity of explosives on board. “And according to the rule it should have reported its cargo 24 hours earlier. Someone could think it was linked to terrorists.”

Police said the ship was carrying ammonia dynamite, an explosive used in mining, as well as 8,000 detonators and fuses.

Chemical engineer Vassilis Bakopoulos, who has 32 years of experience in flammable and explosive material, said damage from that amount of dynamite could be devastating.

“A tonne of this stuff could easily flatten an eight-story building. Imagine what 680 tonnes could do. It could wipe out not one but easily two or three villages, if placed correctly and if there was adequate oxygen,” he said.

The ship’s papers said the cargo was for a firm identified as Integrated Chemicals and Development but contacts so far with Sudan indicated the company did not exist, Anomeritis said.

“The cargo was destined for a company with a post office box in Khartoum that does not exist,” Anomeritis said.

NATO naval forces said on Monday they had tipped off Greece about the “Baltic Sky”.

“Earlier this month a southern region nation reported the motor vessel ‘Baltic Sky’ operating in an abnormal and suspicious pattern,” NATO said in a statement.

Elite Greek troops stormed the Comoros-flagged ship while it sailed in western Greek waters late on Sunday.

The Baltic Sky’s seven-member crew was charged yesterday with “possession and transport of explosive material”.

Under Greek law, the penalty is from five to 20 years, depending on the amount of explosives.