The 70-metre Ras, flying the Tanzanian flag, was seized 130 nautical miles from Lanzarote, police and other Spanish authorities said on Friday. The entire crew of the ship was arrested. Five crew members had Turkish citizenship, two had Azerbaijani citizenship and one had Dutch citizenship, authorities continued.
The freighter attracted attention because it was a “unique journey” from Turkey to West Africa without loading or unloading goods, it said. After “chaotic maneuvers” he headed for the Iberian Peninsula. The cargo ship was inspected by French and Spanish customs ships.