Pirates kidnap 5 sailors from container ship off Nigeria's coast

USPA News - Pirates attacked a container vessel off the coast of Nigeria last week and kidnapped five of its crew members, including Polish and Russian nationals, the ship`s operator reported on Monday. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the abductions.

The attack happened at approximately 9:45 p.m. local time (2045 GMT) on Thursday when the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV City of Xiamen was approximately 45 nautical miles (83 kilometers) southwest of Brass on Nigeria`s coast. It was carrying an unknown number of crew members which included citizens from Russia, Poland, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Burma). "Fourteen heavily armed pirates in two boats, one supply boat with the name UTAY 8 and the other is a speed boat with orange hull and blue wheelhouse, approached and boarded a container ship," the piracy reporting center of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in a report. "The ship raised alarm and crew took shelter in the citadel." The report said the pirates were able to breach the citadel and kidnapped five crew members, including the captain, chief officer, chief engineer, 2nd engineer, and 3rd engineer. Sunship Schiffahrtskontor KG, the ship`s German operator, said Polish and Russian citizens were among those kidnapped. "No injuries were reported among the remaining crew members who continued with the vessel to a safe port," the company said in a statement on Monday. "Sunship Schiffahrtskontor KG is in contact with the families of those being held and those on board. [The company] is doing its utmost to ensure the safe return of its seafarers but will not provide any operational details which could jeopardize the safety of those being held." It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack or where the hostages were taken, and no group immediately claimed responsibility. IMB`s piracy reporting center said the pirates were also able to take an undisclosed amount of cash that was on board and belonged to both the company and the crew.