How Nigerian Navy saved ship with ’25 foreigners’ from being hijacked by pirates

The Nigerian Navy has averted an attempt by suspected sea pirates to hijack and abduct 25 foreign nationals aboard a Maersk merchant ship carrying general cargo to Nigeria.

The Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Olusegun Soyemi, communicated this development to journalists on Sunday at Onne Sea Port, Rivers- where he revealed that the vessel was docked safely with the rescued crew members unharmed.

Soyemi disclosed that the crew consisted of eight Philippines, eight South Africans, five Indians, two Britons and two people from Thailand.

“On Jan. 5 at about 08:00 hours; Sufmarine Kuramo was attacked by sea pirates about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island (in Rivers) Fairway Bouy.

“We got may-day distress call that the ship was boarded by unconfirmed number of sea pirates after entering the nation’s territorial waters.

“We immediately dispatched a warship (NNS Centenary) and attack gunboats led by Navy Capt. Chiedozie Okehie of the Eastern Naval Command to rescue the situation.

“The sea pirates apparently on sighting advancing naval troops fled the scene for fear of being arrested by our operatives.

“The operation was largely successful as all 25 foreign crew members, including the captain, are safe and unhurt, while cargo onboard the ship is intact,” he said.

Soyemi said the pirates had fired several gunshots at the ships control room in order to discourage any attempt at non-cooperation by the captain and crew members.

The Commanding Officer of NNS Centenary, Chiedozie Okehie, who led the operation, revealed that the crew members hid in the ship’s engine room.

“Immediately we got to the ship, we carried out thorough searches of the compartments and cabins to check if any pirate had remained on-board. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain what happened and who carried out the attack.”

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