The product tanker Sampatiki reported a pirate attack off of Nigeria in the early hours of March 26. The pirates boarded the ship at 04’20”N 005’10”E, about 35 nautical miles off the coast of Rivers State in the Gulf of Guinea, near Port Harcourt, said the British security advising firm Asket.
The vessel made a VHF report to say that she had been boarded by eight armed pirates. The attackers stayed aboard for four hours, then departed with five hostages. Media report that the captives are officers, plus one engineer.
Equipment aboard was damaged but the crew reported no injuries. The remaining crew complement headed back to port, arriving off Lome towards 0700 on March 28. As of Monday afternoon she was at anchorage.
The Sampatiki is owned by Avin International of Athens and managed by Singaporean firm Transnav Ship Management. Avin operates roughly thirty vessels, primarily oil and product tankers.
For the full article, please click here.
Via: http://www.maritime-executive.com/
