Etim Ekipmah
Pirates have attacked a reefer vessel, Water Phoenix Imo:9045168 and kidnapped two Russians in the Lagos Anchorage area, according to Dryad Global.
It was learnt that the vessel was approached and boarded by an unknown number of persons resulting in the kidnap of two crew.
One of those said to be kidnapped is believed to be the vessel master. The vessel had a crew of 18 including 7 Russians and 11 Filipino.
It was gathered that AIS tracking indicates that the vessel was on route to Lagos at 14kts and undertook evasive manoeuvres before coming to a stop and is currently drifting.
“It is unclear whether the perpetrators are still onboard or in the area and it is advised that all vessels in the area maintain heightened awareness.
“This is the 13th reported incident in waters of the Lagos Port Complex and Anchorage in the past 12 months most of which have manifest as boarding for theft,” the report further stated.
It was learnt that currently 95 personnel have been kidnapped in 18 incidents off the coast of west Africa within 2020.
The development is said to be reflective of a slight increase in incidents and volume of personnel kidnapped when compared with the same period in 2019.
This is the 3rd offshore incidents in the waters south of Lagos within 2020.
The wider Nigerian EEZ remains the global heartland of maritime crime and piracy with incident volumes exceeding those of other area.
It is the 42nd incident in Nigerian TTW in the past 12 months.