An LNG tanker was chased and fired upon by
nine pirates in a speed boat on November 6, around 30 nautical miles southwest
of Bonny, Nigeria, the IMB Piracy Reporting Center informed.
nine pirates in a speed boat on November 6, around 30 nautical miles southwest
of Bonny, Nigeria, the IMB Piracy Reporting Center informed.
The crew raised the alarm, mustered in the
citadel, and activated the sip security alert system.
citadel, and activated the sip security alert system.
“The pirates approached the vessel several
times but due to the increased speed and evasive manoeuvres, the pirates were
unsuccessful and later aborted the attack,” IMB said.
times but due to the increased speed and evasive manoeuvres, the pirates were
unsuccessful and later aborted the attack,” IMB said.
Both the vessel and crew are reported to be
safe.
safe.
Another attack has been reported in the Gulf
of Guinea by the independent security brokerage Asket.
of Guinea by the independent security brokerage Asket.
Asket said in an advisory that on November
11, around 10 nautical miles off the mouth of the river Niger, a vessel was
attacked by eight armed men with covered faces. The motor vessel was approached
by a small blue-colored boat, however, the hijacking seems to have been
prevented.
11, around 10 nautical miles off the mouth of the river Niger, a vessel was
attacked by eight armed men with covered faces. The motor vessel was approached
by a small blue-colored boat, however, the hijacking seems to have been
prevented.
Both the crew and the vessel are safe, Asket
said citing data from a phone call.
said citing data from a phone call.
Piracy watchdogs urge mariners to exercise
extreme caution when transiting the area.
extreme caution when transiting the area.
Namely, the Gulf of Guinea has become a major hot-spot
for crew kidnappings. At the end of October, four crew members of an
unnamed Singapore-flagged tug/supply vessel were kidnappedsome 60
nautical miles south of the Republic of Congo, West Africa, Asian piracy
watchdog ReCAAP informed.
for crew kidnappings. At the end of October, four crew members of an
unnamed Singapore-flagged tug/supply vessel were kidnappedsome 60
nautical miles south of the Republic of Congo, West Africa, Asian piracy
watchdog ReCAAP informed.
A group of 10 perpetrators armed with guns
boarded the anchored ship, assaulted the crew and damaged the ship’s radio
equipment, before abducting the vessel’s master, chief engineer, chief officer
and a member of the deck crew.
boarded the anchored ship, assaulted the crew and damaged the ship’s radio
equipment, before abducting the vessel’s master, chief engineer, chief officer
and a member of the deck crew.
The abducted crew were taken to a
Panama-flagged tanker, previously hijacked by pirates, and reportedly
proceeding to Nigeria, ReCAAP said.
Panama-flagged tanker, previously hijacked by pirates, and reportedly
proceeding to Nigeria, ReCAAP said.
World Maritime News
