A multi-national investigation is under way into a ransom demand for a missing cargo ship believed to have sailed through the English Channel after being boarded by pirates.
The Maltese-flagged Arctic Sea disappeared with a 15-strong Russian crew on board more than two weeks ago.
The demand - said in unconfirmed reports on Russian television to be for £910,000 - was made to Finnish company Solchart Management, which owns the vessel.
It is not yet known whether the demand is legitimate.
A statement from police in Finland said: "The Finnish, Swedish and Maltese authorities have conducted investigations in close co-operation into the alleged offences - aggravated extortion and alleged hijacking."
No more details about the ransom demand were given as police did not want to endanger the safety of the ship's crew.
It is believed the ship came under attack twice - once as it sailed through the Baltic Sea, and a second time off the coast of Portugal, but an EU Commission spokesman said the incident had "nothing in common with traditional piracy or armed robbery at sea".
The ship's current location remains unclear but there were unconfirmed sightings of it about 520 miles off the Cape Verde islands, west Africa, on Friday.
