Republic Mothership stolen or missing

New Eden News | YC108-06-07

HEIMATAR. The Republic Fleet's ´Alfhild´ Mothership-class vessel is suspected stolen or missing, according to CONCORD´s Bureau of Traffic Control. Although not yet confirmed nor denied by Republic Fleet officials, CONCORD´s BoTC issued a warning today after the ´Alfhild´ performed an unscheduled jump from its official docking premises at the Republic Fleet Testing Facilities Station in the Pator system.

According to CONCORD officials, "an initial low-level warning was issued as per the Capital Ships Control Protocol of the Yulai Convention that forbids freelance Capital Vessels to jump into High-Sec space, and requests all Empire Capital Vessels to inform CONCORD prior to any such displacement. Although in our records the ´Alfhild´ Mothership-class vessel is still formally listed as under Republic control, and has not been declared neither stolen nor MIA by the Fleet, following Protocol procedures the warning was upgraded to medium-level after the Republic Fleet's failure to explain the reasons of the vessel's displacement. Furthermore, our readings show that at least two other Carrier-class vessels, the 'Magni' and the 'Modi', along with several heavy support vessels, have also been mobilized unscheduled."

The ´Alfhild´, last seen in the Odatrik system according to the CONCORD source, is currently listed under command of Captain Karishal Muritor, who last Sunday failed to attend Amarrian Holder Gavit Torash´s inauguration ceremony where he was expected to lead the escort for Republic Parliment diplomat Horish Karator. "We were given no reason for Mr. Karator's absence," said House Torash´s representatives, "save for some almost insulting comments about not having assembled a proper escort." It is not clear as of yet if Captain Muritor´s absence at the inauguration, the ´Alfhild´s disappearance, and/or the Molden Heath incident two weeks ago where Captain Muritor lost a squad to a pirate raid, are in some way connected. According to the same previous CONCORD source, "Mr. Muritor is still listed as a Republic Fleet Captain in our records, and no change of his status has been received by our offices."

The Amarrian Empire has issued a formal request to CONCORD demanding the "immediate disclosure of the missing Capital vessels´ current position and future waypoints", said Commander Quibih Jafi of the Amarrian Navy, under threat of "denying such information of all Amarr Navy Capital assets" should the Republic Fleet fail to comply. The Caldari and Federation Navies have issued no comment as of yet on the subject.