The missing Russian vessel Arctic Sea has been found, and its crew taken to a Russian warship, news agencies quoted the Russian defense minister as saying on Monday.

"At 1:00 p.m. Moscow time (0900 GMT), it was found 300 miles off Cape Verde islands. The crew is alive. They were taken to the Ladny frigate," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov as informing Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (L) listens to Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov during their meeting in the southern city of Astrakhan August 17, 2009. [Xinhua]

"The crew have been moved to our anti-submarine warfare ship. They are answering questions," the minister was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

"All crew members are alive, and they are feeling well. They were not under armed control," he added.

Undated photo of the missing Russian vessel Arctic Sea. [Xinhua]

The Maltese-flagged Arctic Sea set off from Finland on July 23 carrying a large load of timber, and was due to arrive at the Algerian port of Bejaia on Aug. 4.

Media reports said contact with the vessel was disrupted on July 28, after masked men claiming to be police briefly seized the ship in the Baltic Sea on July 24.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2009)