[UPDATED] Tug Attacked off Nigeria, Six Crew Reported Kidnapped
Original Source: Fleetmon.com
Armada Century-managed offshore tug was attacked off Brass, Nigeria. Six crew were reported kidnapped.
An offshore tug Orcus reportedly intercepted VHF distress call from offshore supply tug Armada Tuah 101 at 13:06 (local time) 17 February.
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Armada Tuah 101 Attacked, Crew Kidnapped. Photo MyShip.com
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Malaysia-flagged offshore tug, Armada Tuah 101, was attacked and boarded by pirates at 0700 UTC in position 03:57.4N - 005:20.8E, around 55nm WSW of Brass, Nigeria. Pirates boarded the vessel and were reported to have kidnapped all foreign crew from the mixed foreign/Nigerian crew.
[Update] Six foreign crew members were kidnapped and are said to be one Russian, three Ukrainians and two Indian sailors according to three security sources via Reuters.
The remaining nine Nigerian crew were able to take the vessel to Onne, arriving February 18, and safely berthed.
Offshore supply tug Armada Tuah 101, IMO 9387293, 2147 gt, built 2007, is managed by Armada Century Ltd.
Four vessels were attacked during a 10-day period in this area, including the hijack and release of an offshore supply vessel, Armada Tugas 1, tanker Esther C with 3 crew kidnapped, Nigeria-flagged offshore supply ship Walvis 7 with 2 crew kidnapped and general cargo ship, Safmarine Sahel.
Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke on Tuesday told an oil industry conference in Abuja that Nigeria was seeking international help to curb criminality in the region.
The head of Shell's Nigeria subsidiary, Mutiu Sunmonu, told the same conference that "there is still a lot more that must be done" to pacify the Niger Delta.
As the piracy focus has shifted to the Gulf of Guinea in recent months, the theft of oil cargo and the increasing instance of crew kidnapping, demonstrates the difficulty in maritime security in the region and the dangers faced by seafarers, however, the threat of violence has been well documented in recent years.
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