Part of the crew has been kidnapped after a pirate attack on a tanker off the coast of West Africa.
The French Navy located the Monjasa Reformer in the Gulf of Guinea on Thursday Danish oil and shipping company Monjasa in a statement on Friday. Pirates would have already left the ship by that time, taking part of the crew with them – how many people were affected remained open. The rescued rest of the crew is safe and sound. Ship and cargo were undamaged.
Monjasa is the owner of the 135 meter long oil and chemical tanker. The company said there were 16 crew members on board when the Liberian-flagged ship was attacked some 140 nautical miles (260 kilometers) west of the port of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo last weekend.
The Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa is one of the most dangerous areas in the world for merchant ships. In particular, the waters off Nigeria are one of the focal points of pirate raids and kidnappings. Recently, however, the number of cases has dropped significantly: According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were 19 attacks on ships in the Gulf in 2022, after 35 in the previous year and 84 at the peak in 2020. Several EU countries have naval vessels in action off the approximately 5,700-kilometer coastal strip between Senegal and Angola. The EU has been coordinating cooperation with the 17 neighboring countries since 2021. (oee/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
