MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2020) There may be Russians among the seven or eight crew members held hostage by pirates aboard the Tommi Ritscher container ship off West Africa's Benin, the Russian embassy has said.
The diplomatic mission cited the Beninese navy as saying that the ship had been boarded by pirates while it was at anchorage in the port city of Cotonou.
"Seven or eight crew members have been taken hostage, there can be Russian citizens among them," the embassy tweeted.
The ship has been surrounded by navy boats to stop it from sailing. The Russian embassy said it was monitoring the situation and was in contact with the military and city authorities.
