Late Reported Violent Pirate Attack Off Nigeria
In a report released over 11 weeks after it occurred, pirates armed with guns approached a landing craft doing 7 knots at 1845 UTC on 17 May in position 04:39.2N – 004:45.2E, approximately 45nm Offshore Escravos, Nigeria, reports the piracy watchdog, International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
The Master of the Curacao (Netherlands)-flagged vessel, UAL Transporter, raised the alarm, stopped main engines and instructed all crew into the citadel.
Unfortunately, by the time the pirates had boarded the vessel, only four of the eight crew had retreated into the citadel. The pirates tried to gain access into the citadel by using hammers and firing automatic weapons. Luckily, they could not gain entry to the citadel.
After nearly 10 hours in the citadel, when the crew emerged, they saw that the remaining crew members were badly beaten and all the cabins looted.
Once the engines were restarted, and the vessel was again underway, the duty officer again noticed a speed boat with armed pirates approaching. All crew retreated into the citadel once more, and the pirates attempted again to gain entry into the citadel, to no avail.
When the crew emerged after around six hours, they found nearly all the bridge equipment had been destroyed. The Master managed to contact Escravos terminal, Nigeria, and sailed towards it.
Whilst reports of reduction of global piracy in the first half of 2012 abound, it is acknowledged that piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has increased and has seen greater violence against the seafarers during the initial attack.
The Nigerian Navy now has more naval units to deploy, however, the ability to detect and deter pirate activity remains a challenge in the region. The situation is not made any easier by the poor, or lack of, timely reporting to maritime reporting bodies when suspicious activity and attacks occur.
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