On March 25, a Liberian tanker named Monjasa Reformer was taken over by pirates in Africa. Six crew members were reportedly abducted from the vessel by the pirates. The ship was boarded off the southwest of Port Pointe-Noire, Congo, and found by the French Navy five days later near Sao Tome and Principe.
The Danish company that owns the vessel, Monjasa, revealed that the pirates abandoned the tanker after taking some of the crew members. Unfortunately, no details were given about the abducted crew members’ nationalities, how they were taken, or where they were being held.
According to reports, the crew members on the ship tried to escape to the citadel, a designated safe area under the anti-piracy emergency protocol, after the pirates boarded. However, a few crew members were taken hostage.
After the incident, the remaining crew contacted the French Navy vessel to inform them of the incident, reporting that six members of their crew had been taken hostage. Three crew members who suffered minor injuries were treated immediately by the French Navy. The company confirmed that the crew members who were aboard the tanker were in good condition and being treated properly after the incident.
Thorstein Andreasen, spokesperson for Monjasa, confirmed that the vessel and its cargo did not suffer any damages from the incident. Following the incident, a Nigerian ship escorted the Monjasa Reformer to the Togolese capital, Lomé.
The Monjasa Reformer is one of Monjasa’s global marine fuel operations in West Africa and carried various oil products, including marine gas oil and sulfur fuel oil. This particular attack, while not the first of its kind, occurred farther south than usual.
The Gulf of Guinea is known as one of the most dangerous areas for piracy attacks worldwide. The United Nations Security Council had previously condemned armed robbery, piracy, and hostage-taking in the area, but the attacks continue to happen.
This incident highlights the ongoing problem of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the need for better security measures to protect the crew members who work on these vessels. These attacks also have significant economic implications, as they often disrupt the flow of trade in the region.
With the increasing number of piracy incidents in the region, it is important for countries to work together and implement effective measures to combat this issue. The International Maritime Bureau has urged ship owners and governments to increase security measures and make use of the services provided by security companies in the region to protect their vessels and crews.
