UPDATE – Kidnap / Nigeria 02-090319

INCIDENT OVER

Event: Kidnap

IMB Level: 1

 

Date and Time: 9^th March 2019, 1550hrs UTC

Location: 37nm SW of Bonny Fairway Buoy, Nigerian EEZ

Position: 03°50’N, 006°30’E

Distance from Shore: Approx. 30nm

 

Vessel Details

Type: Dive Support Vessel

L x B: 84m x 16m

 

Event Details

Kidnapped: 5 – 4 crew members and 1 passenger

Injured: 1 Navy personnel on escort vessel wounded – later died

Killed: 7 pirates killed, 1 Navy personnel on escort fatally wounded

Security Present: Escort Vessel with armed Nigerian Navy personnel

Weather: Gentle Breeze / 2.1mm precipitation

Wave Height: 1.2m

 

Threat Details

Number of Pirates: Unconfirmed – likely about 14 based on previous reports of 2 speed boats with 6-7 pirates on each attacking vessels in the area.

Number of Craft: 2 speed boats

Weapons Seen:
Firearms

Equipment Seen:
Not reported

 

Description: A dive support vessel has been attacked by 2 speed boats, and possibly boarded.

 

Update: Whilst sailing from Port Harcourt to Forcados, the dive support vessel was attacked by armed pirates in 2 speed boats. The escort vessel responded to the attack and fired on the pirates. In the following
firefight, 7 pirates were killed and one Nigerian Navy guard was fatally wounded. The pirates successfully boarded the vessel, and whilst some crew managed to reach a safe haven in the engine room, the pirates broke down internal doors, kidnapped 4 crew members
and 1 passenger, stole crew and vessel belongings and vandalised the interior. Later in the day, the remaining crew emerged from the safe haven and sailed the vessel back to Bonny.

 

Note: This attack is likely conducted by the same pirate group of 2 speed boats that have attacked and approached several other merchant vessels in the last week offshore Brass and Bonny. Now that they
have successfully kidnapped crew members, they will likely return to the creeks and demand a ransom.

 

This is also the first attack where the armed escort vessel has failed to provide adequate protection and the pirates have managed to kidnap crew. This is likely due to the fact that the escort vessel only
engaged with one pirate speed boat, allowing the second speed boat to board the merchant vessel. It also raises questions about the quality of the safe haven, and of the crew’s training in quickly moving to that safe haven.