The waters off West Africa continue to pose seafarers with threats of piracy and armed robbery. The most recent incidents reported to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) worldwide 24-hour Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) indicate the dangers.
Armed pirates boarded a tanker around 113 nautical miles off Lagos, Nigeria on 2 March. The alarm was raised and all crew mustered in the citadel. On receiving information about the incident, the IMB PRC informed the Nigerian authorities, who dispatched a naval patrol boat for assistance. The naval team boarded the tanker and confirmed all crew safe, and the tanker resumed her passage.
- Two skiffs with 16 armed men chased, fired on and attempted to board a tanker around 69 nautical miles off Brass, Nigeria on 27 February. The alarm was raised, security procedures activated and non-essential crew mustered in the citadel. A nearby security vessel responded to the master's call, and the skiffs abandoned their attempt and moved away.
- Skiffs approached a tanker at high speed around 70 nautical miles off Brass, Nigeria on 27 February and opened fire. Onboard Nigerian naval personnel returned fire, and the skiffs retreated and moved away.
- Around four to six armed pirates in a speedboat chased and fired on a container vessel around 80 nautical miles off Brass, Nigeria on 21 February. The alarm was raised and non-essential crew mustered in the citadel. The vessel made evasive manoeuvres and prevented a boarding.
- Five armed pirates attacked and boarded a landing craft around 300 nautical miles off Bayelsa, Nigeria on 3 February, kidnapped three crew members and escaped. The Nigerian Navy dispatched a naval boat to assist the vessel and escorted it to a safe anchorage. The three kidnapped crew members were released safely on 1 March.
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All attacks and suspicious sightings should be reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, tel: +603 2031 0014 (24 hours), email: imbkl@icc-ccs.org
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