Nigerian Navy Rescues 13 Foreigners From Sea Pirates In Rivers

Nigerian-Navy

Thirteen foreign nationals were rescued from suspected sea by pirates by the Nigerian Navy while attempting to hijack a merchant ship leaving Nigeria for Cameroon.

The Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Nwamba, Capt. Mustapha Hassan,said in an interview with newsmen in Bonny area of Rivers State that the rescued victims were unharmed.

Capt. Hassan who led the rescue mission, gave the nationalities of the victims as seven Philippinos, two Romanians, one Russian, one Polish, one Indian and one Croatian.

“On Aug. 17, MT Vectis Osprey, a British ship, was attacked by sea pirates about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island Fairway Bouy in Rivers,” he said.

“We got a distress alert from the operations centre at the naval headquarters which dispatched NNS Nwamba with NNS Okpabana to shadow the operation.

“On getting the distress call, we immediately set course to intercept and rescue the merchant ship from hijack by sea pirates.

“On arrival, the special forces attacked the nine heavily armed pirates who jumped into the sea and escaped, apparently due to superior gunfire and tactical awareness of troops.

“The operation was largely successful as all 13 foreign crew members, including the captain, are safe and unhurt while cargo onboard the ship is intact,” Capt Hassan stated.

He added that the pirates however, escaped as to poor visibility partly caused by torrential rain on the day of the rescue thwarts their the troop’s effort of apprehending them.