FWN Rapide has meanwhile been moved to a safe position by two of the remaining seafarers, who are reported to be safe and unhurt.
“ForestWave would like to stress its main priority is to establish contact with the missing seafarers and secure their earliest and secure return. The company’s emergency response team is working around the clock and is liaising with the local and international authorities. ForestWave together with its local organizations are in close contact with the families of the valued seafarers to support them in these difficult times,” the company said.
FWN Rapide is a 2005-built vessel flying the Dutch flag and was on its way from Takoradi, Ghana to Port Harourt, Nigeria went it came under attack.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported a rise in armed attacks against ships in the Western Africa since the beginning of this year. There have been 22 incidents recorded in Nigeria alone, of 66 reported incidents in the first quarter of this year.
Of the 11 vessels fired upon worldwide, eight were off Nigeria, including a 300,000 dwt VLCC tanker more than 40 nautical miles off Brass.
4月21日，尼日利亞海岸的海盜們綁架十二名FWN Rapide貨船的海員，該船的管理人員荷蘭公司ForestWave證實。
與此同時，兩名船員將FWN Rapide轉移到安全位置，據報導這兩名船員安全無恙。
“ForestWave希望強調其主要優先事項是與失踪海員建立聯繫並確保其最早和安全的返回。該公司的應急團隊正在24小時工作，並與當地和國際機構保持聯絡。該公司表示，ForestWave與其當地組織正在密切接觸的海員家屬，和在這些困難時期為他們提供支持。
FWN Rapide是一艘2005年建造的荷蘭國旗，從加納塔科拉迪到尼日利亞哈特爾港的途中遭受襲擊。
國際海事局（IMB）報告稱，自今年初以來，西非的武裝襲擊事件有所增加。僅尼日利亞就有22起事件發生，今年第一季度有66起事件報告。
在全球被攻擊的11艘船中，有8艘是在尼日利亞，其中包括距離Brass超過40海裡30,000載重噸的VLCC油輪。
Image Courtesy: World Maritime News Staff / Imformation Source: World Maritime News Staff
