About 13 seafarers have been kidnapped by pirates off the
coast of Cotonou, Benin Republic and off the coast of Lome, Togo.
Nine of the seafarers were kidnapped off Cotonou on a
Norwegian-flagged ship named MV Bonita on Saturday, while four were kidnapped
on Monday aboard a Greek oil tanker named Elka Aristotle off Lome.
The Norwegian ship owner, J.J. Ugland, said the vessel was
boarded by armed pirates while at anchor before the kidnap, while the remaining
crew notified local authorities, and the vessel docked at the port city of
Cotonou later on Saturday.
The ship was carrying a cargo of gypsum, a mineral commonly
used as fertilizer.
Citing safety reasons, the Norwegian shipowner did not
reveal the crew’s nationalities or how many had avoided capture.
“The Ugland Emergency Response Team are handling this
situation as per contingency plans, and they are in contact with relevant
authorities. The families of the crew members have been contacted and will be
kept informed by Ugland,” the company said in its terse statement released on
Sunday.
With regards to the abduction on the Greek tanker, authorities
said two of the four kidnapped crew members are Filipinos, one is Greek and one
is Georgian.
One security guard was also reportedly shot and wounded in
the attack.
“Monday, 4th of November 2019, around 0300, the tanker boat
Elka Aristotle was attacked around 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the port of
Lome by armed individuals,” Greek authorities said in a statement on Monday.
The vessel’s manager, European Product Carriers Ltd,
confirmed the early morning attack, without providing further details.
Greece’s shipping ministry said it was “closely monitoring
the issue.”
Armed guards were present on the Greek boat and tried to
fight off the attackers, but one was wounded, the Togo navy said. An
investigation has been opened.
While piracy has decreased worldwide, West Africa’s Gulf of
Guinea is a high-risk area for abductions and armed robbery, according to the
International Maritime Bureau (IMB)
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