Pirates have attacked
an oil products tanker off the coast of Nigeria and kidnapped its Ukrainian
captain and a Greek engineer, Greek coast guard officials said on Tuesday.
The 6,500 tonne
Marshall Islands-flaggged MT ALTHEA with 18 crew on board was attacked by a
group of 10 pirates, the officials said. The ship’s manager, Piraeus-based
Medtankers Management, confirmed the attack.
“We are doing
everything we can for their release,” an official at the firm said on condition
of anonymity, adding that so far, no ransom demand had been received.
“They kidnapped the
two men but did not touch the cargo (oil) or injure anyone.”
The ship was attacked
late on Monday around 35 nautical miles off the oil-producing Niger Delta
coastline, a Nigerian security source said. The armed pirates fled with the two
hostages in a speedboat, the source said.
The Nigerian navy is
investigating, a spokesman said.
Pirate attacks off
Nigeria have jumped by a third this year as ships passing through West Africa’s
Gulf of Guinea, a major commodities route, have come under threat from gangs
wanting to snatch cargoes and crews.
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