Pirates hijack oil tankers and kidnap sailors

Several of the 16 crew members were kidnapped in an attack on a Danish oil tanker off the west coast of Africa. The Danish shipping company Munyasa announced Friday that five pirates attacked the 135-meter-long Mongasa Reformer, which is sailing under the Liberian flag, last Saturday. After that, his position was unknown. On Thursday, the French Navy located the oil tanker off the coast of the island state of Sao Tome and Principe.

The crew went to the shelter

crew because pirate raid According to the protective regulations, head to a shelter on the ship, the so-called fortress, according to the shipping company’s statement. But by the time the French naval forces reached the ship, “the pirates had abandoned ship, taking part of the crew with them.” She added that the remaining crew members are in good health and in a safe environment. The shipping company did not provide any information about the number of abductees and their nationalities, even when asked. According to Trade Winds marine magazine, there should have been three crew members.

“Our thoughts are with the crew members who are still missing and their families during this difficult time,” Mongasa said. The shipping company will work “closely with the authorities” to ensure the speedy return of the abductees.

Global hacking hotspot

According to information, the ship was not damaged in the attack. Blitz at 135 meters tanker It happened 140 nautical miles off the Congolese port of Pointe-Noire on Saturday.

The Gulf of Guinea has become a global piracy hotspot in recent years. But in the past two years, hacker attacks have decreased: according to the IMB Hacking Reporting Center, there were 19 incidents in 2022, compared to 35 the previous year and 84 in 2020.

(AFP/TRX)