As per media reports a fresh kidnapping has occured in the Gulf of Guinea were a tanker has been attacked and 10 crew members have been kidnapped by Pirates.
What happened?
The ship is under way after drifting in S direction for some 10 hours or more, steaming towards Lagos, with no security/navy nearby. 10 out of 24 multinational crew were kidnapped. Crew includes Georgian, Filipino and Ukrainian nationalities.
According to Dryad Global report, officer on watch identified two armed men on board, and no further details regarding the nature of weapons or actions have since been received.
Communications Lost
Understood SSAS was activated, and after that, communications were lost. No AIS yet, and as in the case with MAERSK TEMA container ship, no navy/security ships/boats seen in the vicinity yet.
The Ship in Question
0815 UTC: Still no AIS, and no navy/security in vicinity.
0430 UTC: Merchant ship was attacked at 0110 UTC Feb 20 in vicinity 05 10N 002 05E, S of Cotonou. Most probably, tanker ALPINE PENELOPE was attacked, her latest AIS timed 0130 UTC, no signal since then. She’s en route from Netherlands to Lagos, should be loaded. No security/navy boats/ships nearby.
Product tanker ALPINE PENELOPE, IMO 9379301, dwt 74401, built 2008, flag Liberia, manager OCEANGOLD TANKERS INC, Greece.
Unidentified merchant ship was attacked early in the morning Feb 20 in Gulf of Guinea SE of Lome. According to tracks analysis, it may be product tanker. She was near attack position at the time of attack, her AIS is missing since then.
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Source: Maritime Bulletin
