Repeated armed attacks on ships under way in Gulf of Guinea

Two separate armed attacks on ships in as many days are worrying as both ships appeared to have been underway at the time.  To date, stationary ships had been targeted by armed gangs.

On the 5th November two crew were taken hostage from a Turkish chemical tanker off Nigeria.  Press reports describe the 10,700-dwt BASAT as en route from Cameroon to Ivory Coast when it was boarded by gunmen.  Two of the 14 Turkish crew on board failed to reach the citadel on the Dutch operated vessel and were abducted.  Reportedly contact has been made over a ransom.  The tanker reached Abidjan a day later.

IMB reported a failed attack on a container vessel early in the morning of 4th November 2014 about 30 miles off the coast of Bayelsa state, Nigeria and 48 miles WSW of Brass.  Some five or six pirates in a boat approached and fired upon the container vessel whilst underway. They managed to come alongside the vessel, destroyed part of the razor wire and attempted to hook on their boarding ladder. The ship and crew were saved by increased speed and evasive manoeuvres.

The Gulf of Guinea is an ‘additional premium’ area and members either transiting this region or visiting ports and installations there should consult the AP Areas – Africa section of our website.