Kidnapping on a Tanker, Equatorial Guinea
Issued: 10 months, 2 weeks ago
| Date | Reference | Region | Category | Aggressors | Source |
| 2025-03-17 21:00:00 | CW Alert 015- (Mar 25) | West Africa | Kidnapping | Pirates | MDAT-GoG/Closed/Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The MDAT-GoG have received a report from a Company Security Officer that a vessel has been attacked whilst underway approximately 112nm Southwest of Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Three pirates have boarded the vessel and the reports state that shots have been fired. No injuries have been reported at this time. The local authorities have been informed and are investigating. Clearwater has also received confirmation that the vessel involved is a Panama-flagged tanker and information indicating that, although the crew retreated to the citadel, the pirates have managed to gain entry. The incident is ongoing. UPDATE 1: The Company Security Officer has confirmed that as of 05:30 UTC the pirates remain onboard the vessel. UPDATE 2: The Company Security Officer has informed the MDAT-GoG that as of 07:19 UTC, the pirates have left the vessel. The vessel is heading to Libreville for refuge. The status of the crew has not yet been confirmed. UPDATE 3: Clearwater have received further information informing that ten members of the crew have been kidnapped from the vessel. UPDATE 4: Clearwater has obtained additional information concerning the nature of this incident. The information states that ten pirates approached on one speedboat powered by two outboard engines. When the crew retreated to the citadel, two crew members were unaccounted for. The first access door to the citadel had the external hinges "burnt" to remove it. The pirates damaged some of the navigation equipment on the bridge and destroyed the CCTV cameras onboard. The ten abducted crew members were specifically chosen and comprise of seven Indian nationals and three Romanian nationals. UPDATE 5: The French owners of the vessel have issued a statement to the media confirming that the ten crew members have been released and are returning home following medical examinations. | |||||