A Singapore-flagged oil tanker and its crew were recovered safely over the weekend after being attacked by pirates in international waters off the coast of West Africa last week. Ivory Coast and French air and naval assets searched for the ‘Success 9’ ship after its tracking equipment was disabled by the attackers. The pirates got away with 5,000 tonnes of diesel. The ship was taken to the port of Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
PIERS POTTER AUDIO.
Twenty crew members of various nationalities had been on the Success 9 when it was boarded Monday in the Gulf of Guinea, according to authorities.
“Once relocated, the vessel was intercepted by two National Navy patrol boats, the CF Sekongo, and the Rear Admiral Fatiga, under the guidance of the Falcon 50 (aircraft). It appears from the elements of assessments that the ship has indeed suffered material damage, the sabotage of its means of communication, and navigation, the armed theft of all the goods on board,” said Commander Dadie Valles, Ivory Coast Navy.
The 6,135-dwt chemical tanker was reported to have been boarded by pirates at around 1400hrs (UTC) on 10 April about 300 nautical miles off the Abidjan Coast, Cote d’lvoire and all contact was lost with the vessel.
A distress call from the Success-9 was picked up by the Monjasa Sprinter who reported its location to the company’s chief security officer who in turn authorities in Singapore and the Monrovia Regional MRCC. The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said Côte d’Ivoire Navy patrol was deployed to confirm the location of the Success-9 and aboard the vessel.
The pirates got away with 5000 tonnes of diesel, according to Commander Dadie Valles of the Ivory Coast Navy.
