Egyptian security forces in Alexandria have detained five Russians, members of the crew of a ship carrying medicines, including the captain, the chief assistant, and three others. The Russian embassy in Cairo stated that it is closely monitoring the situation regarding the detention of Russian citizens at the port of Alexandria, where the cargo ship "Soi," which flies the Comoros flag, had five Russian citizens among its crew, including the captain and his chief assistant.
According to preliminary data, drugs containing narcotic substances were found on board the cargo ship, which was detained on November 4. The Russian embassy indicated that after receiving information about the detention of Russian citizens, it immediately requested permission from the Egyptian authorities to arrange a consular visit, maintaining regular communication with the detainees' relatives.
According to local authorities, the health of the crew members does not raise any concerns. The wife of the ship's captain, Sergei Erimizein, reported that after his arrest in Egypt, a man who introduced himself as a lawyer for the sailors' families contacted her, asking for a thousand dollars to provide services for the captain and 300-500 dollars for the crew members themselves (for food and cigarettes).
The lawyer communicated with the sailors' relatives in broken English and Ukrainian, requesting the funds to be transferred to his bank account. In response, the "lawyer" promised to provide updates on the investigation’s progress and allow the captain's wife to speak with him "if there was a chance."
