Armed Pirates Kidnap Injured Crew From Cargo Ship In Gulf Of Guinea

A cargo ship sailing off the coast of West Africa was violently boarded by pirates, who kidnapped an injured crew member during the assault.

The incident took place between Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe, a region increasingly known for piracy despite a recent overall decline in maritime crimes.

The vessel, flagged in Curaçao, was en route from Douala, Cameroon, to Matadi, Democratic Republic of Congo, when seven armed men attacked it.

According to maritime security reports, the pirates boarded the ship on the afternoon of May 29, roughly 75 nautical miles northwest of Santo Antonio and about 118 nautical miles northwest of Bonny, Nigeria.

Security sources, including the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade in the Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) and UKMTO, reported that most of the crew locked themselves in the citadel and monitored the situation via onboard CCTV. However, one crew member, identified later as the second engineer, was injured and abducted by the attackers.

There was confusion initially over which crew member was taken, but later updates confirmed the second engineer was missing. The first engineer was confirmed safe in the citadel, while the chief engineer was later located onboard.

The attack caused damage to equipment on the ship’s bridge, and for a period, the vessel was not under the command of its master. It was observed slowing from 13 knots to 3 knots during the incident, and had also switched off its AIS signal after departing Douala on May 29, only resuming transmission on May 30 afternoon.

By May 31, MDAT-GoG confirmed the ship had been thoroughly searched and cleared, with no pirates remaining onboard. The injured crew member, however, remained unaccounted for and is believed to have been taken hostage by the armed group.

Authorities later boarded the vessel to assist the remaining crew and began escorting the ship to a safe port. The shipping and maritime security community has been urged to remain vigilant.

Security firm Ambrey Analytics advised ships operating in the Gulf of Guinea to assess risks before transit and consider engaging armed security where possible. Africa Risk Compliance stated that this was the first kidnapping incident in the region since March, when 10 seafarers were abducted from the Bitu River product tanker in a similarly violent pirate attack.

Observers said that despite a drop in overall piracy figures, the Gulf of Guinea remains a dangerous zone, with pirates targeting vessels for high-value kidnappings. In recent months, similar attacks have included four-hour onboard raids and even threats of execution against crew members.

Ships in the region are being urged to transit with extreme caution and report any suspicious activity immediately.

Reference: MOT GOG

Source: Maritime Shipping News