Pirates Kidnap Two Americans Off Nigeria
Armed pirates kidnapped two Americans off the coast of Nigeria on Wednesday, according to US officials. The attack happened just inside international waters in the early morning hours.
Officials added that the pirates stormed the US-flagged ship and separated the crew by nationality, taking only Americans. The assailants also damaged communications and navigation equipment on the ship, likely to delay notification of the attack to authorities.
The ship, called the C-Retriever, is owned by Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore, reports NBC News. A maritime news website, gCaptain, noted that the two Americans captured by pirates were the ship’s captain and its chief engineer.
US officials are working on the assumption that the two were kidnapped for ransom, though they haven’t disclosed whether they have been contacted by the supposed pirates.
While there were no US warships in the area near Nigeria when the kidnapping happened, there is a contingent of US Marines on a Dutch warship in the area. The Marines are there as part of a military exchange program.
CNN notes that Nigeria is seeing pirate attacks more often than before, likely because the oil-rich gulf has drawn more and more international attention. Forty pirate attacks were reported in the area in the first nine months of 2013. Nigeria’s coast has also seen the only ship crew kidnappings worldwide this year.
The International Maritime Bureau, which keeps statistics on pirate activities, stated that 132 crew members have been taken hostage this year, while seven ships have been hijacked. The number of pirate attacks has been on the rise, a fact that a London-based think tank attributed to aggressive anti-pirate activity.
US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf explained at a press briefing that officials are “obviously closely monitoring” the reports. She added of the apparent kidnapping, “We are seeking additional information about the incident, so that we may contribute to safely resolving the situation.”
International forces frequently scuffle with pirates as they try to stem the tide of kidnappings and hostage situations in the area. Most recently, Nigeria’s navy killed 12 pirates while they attempted to flee from a hijacked fuel tanker.
[Image via ShutterStock]
