MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2020) The Nigerian authorities have started a search and rescue operation to find a tanker with a Russian-Ukrainian crew on board, which was captured by pirates off the Nigerian coast in the Gulf of Guinea, local media reported on Monday, citing an informed source.
Pirates boarded the MT Curacao Trader vessel southwest from the Nigerian state of Bayelsa on Friday night, according to maritime security firm Dryad Global. A crew of 15 were kidnapped. The Russian embassy in Nigeria confirmed earlier in the day that there were seven Russian nationals among the crew.
According to the Daily Post newspaper, citing the source, a ransom cannot be ruled out as the kidnappers will likely demand money.
The tanker's location is still unknown, the media outlet noted.
The Gulf of Guinea is Africa's most economically active and oil-rich region. Pirate activity in the region has increased in recent years, prompting Nigeria, Ghana and other surrounding regions to set up a naval coordination operation to combat the phenomenon.
