Pirates hijack oil tanker with 23 Indian crew aboard
05 Sep 2012
Pirates today seized an oil tanker with 23 Indian sailors aboard near the coast of Nigeria, in the third hijacking in the Gulf of Guinea over the past two weeks.
The Singapore-flagged ship, MT Abu Dhabi Star, was seized near the Lagos port, Nigerian naval officials said.
The vessel, operated by Dubai-based company, Pioneer Ship Management Services LLC, was sailing towards the open sea when it was hijacked, the company's spokesperson said. He said 23 Indian sailors were on board the oil tanker.
Pirates had, last week, seized an oil tanker anchored in Togo's port, an area protected from pirate attacks.
Sources say the pirates will now sail the ship to another vessel to siphon out the oil.
Meanwhile, the director of the International Maritime Bureau, Pottengal Mukundan said Togo's navy was unable to rescue the tanker.
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