Armed Gang Boards Cargo Ship In Gulf Of Guinea, Follow Vessel For 45 Minutes

In an alarming incident, a cargo ship was boarded by an armed gang in the Gulf of Guinea on February 1, 2025. The gang attacked the Portugal-flagged general cargo ship JSP VENTO while it was about 60 nautical miles west of Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

At around 21:35 local time, three armed men managed to board JSP VENTO. As soon as the crew members onboard saw the intruders they immediately raised the alarm. Following established security protocols, the crew mustered inside the citadel and sent out a distress call.

Within ten minutes of being detected, the armed men left the ship through the main deck on the port side. A small boat was observed on the radar approximately one nautical mile away, following the cargo vessel for about 45 minutes before finally leaving the area.

Despite the security breach, all crew members were reported safe. No injuries, stolen items or damage to the vessel were recorded.

At the time of the incident, JSP VENTO was travelling at a speed of 10 knots and had an estimated freeboard of 5.6 meters. The vessel continued its voyage after the attack.

According to maritime security assessments, this is the fourth boarding or attempted boarding in the region in the last 90 days. Out of 23 recorded piracy-related incidents in 2024 and early 2025, 11 took place in the last three months in the eastern Gulf of Guinea.

Nine of these incidents occurred near Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Malabo, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Experts believe that the tactics used in the incident, along with other recent attacks, suggest the presence of an active Pirate Action Group (PAG) operating in the southeastern Gulf of Guinea.

Reports reveal that this group may be targeting vessels in this area to avoid naval counter-piracy operations, which have been more effective in reducing attacks in countries like Nigeria.

The maritime security firms have advised vessels passing through the region to reassess their risk and vulnerabilities. They recommend following threat mitigation measures outlined in BMP West Africa, and where possible, employing armed security teams for protection.

Though the piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea have been less frequent compared to Singapore Strait- where at least 9 vessels have been boarded since late December- this situation remains a concern.

Reference: Neptune P2P Group

Source: Maritime Shipping News