A Singapore-flagged vessel owned by Maersk ‘Contonou’ has fallen victim to a pirate attack on November 19, 2016. The vessel was attacked off the coast of Bonny, Nigeria when it was on its way to Walvis Bay.
The ship was approached by eight armed men who approached the ship on a speedboat. However, the crew members’ quickly manoeuvred the ship and opened fire on the pirates with the help of Navy personnel.
In another incident, an offshore oil vessel had also been attacked on the same day; the local authorities believe it is the same culprits in both incidents.
Andrew McLaughlin, the Program Officer in charge of Global Maritime Security at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said: “Piracy in Somalia has not been defeated but only countered. The threat can recur since the security and economic situation in Somalia remains dire. Push factors like high youth unemployment should be addressed to boost anti-piracy operation in Somalia. Strengthening the rule of law is crucial to eliminate this menace.”
This incident comes after a UN official had stated piracy off the coast of Somalia is still a serious threat, despite the decrease in incidents and success in countering it.
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Source: Port Technology International
