Pirates hoping to hijack a container ship in the Gulf of Guinea saw their plans ruined when a helicopter full of Russian marines rode to the rescue, as a Northern Fleet destroyer happened to be on patrol in the area, reports RT.com.
What happened?
The vessel flying the flag of Panama and bound for Togo, sent out a distress call around 1pm local time on Monday, when it was boarded by armed men approximately 86 nautical miles southwest of the Agbami Terminal on the Nigerian coast.
The signal was picked up by the missile destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov, which was in the area to conduct maritime security operations. The vessel’s crew sheltered in the engine room, while the destroyer quickly dispatched a Ka-27PS helicopter with a marine complement on board.
Pirates reaction
Upon seeing the helicopter, “the pirates left the ship, got into a fast boat and headed towards the coast at full speed,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Security check
The Kulakov’s marines then landed on the vessel and conducted a sweep of the ship to confirm it was secure.
Central American nation’s maritime regulations
The Udaloy-class destroyer arrived into the Gulf of Guinea on October 11 for a three-week anti-piracy patrol. It has already prevented the seizure of another Panama-flagged vessel.
Almost a quarter of all cargo ships in the world are registered in Panama, taking advantage of the Central American nation’s maritime regulations.
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Source: RT.Com
