ATHENS - Pirates have release an oil tanker MT Energy Centurion, operated by Greek company Golden Energy Management, along with its 24 member crew in Togolese waters after stealing 3,000 tonnes of fuel from it, the shipping company stated Thursday.
The oil tanker, with 23 Russian crew member and a Greek captain, was carrying some 57,000 tonnes of diesel and petrol when it was hijacked on Tuesday in the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa off the Togolese capital Lome, where it was anchored.
The official statement confirmed that the crew is unharmed, and the tanker which was released 60 miles off Lagos, Nigeria, would continue its onward journey after undergoing some repair to its communication systems and other equipment that had been damaged.
There is so far no confirmation on whether any ransom was paid or when did the pirates release the tanker.
Officials claim the crew was robbed of their money, jewelry and part of the cargo when the pirates escaped Thursday in one of the lifeboats pursued by Togo's coast guard boats. The pirates were however able to make their escape while the coast guards seized the tanker.
According to official sources the ship was taken into international waters immediately after the attack.
The seizure of oil tanker is yet another instance of the risk facing shipping industry in the Gulf of Guinea, which is a rich source of oil, cocoa and metals from over a dozen countries including Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast.
There has been an increase of attacks in the region, according to a recent report from the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center.
While Somali piracy remains a serious threat, the center in a recent report said there were 32 attacks this year alone in the Gulf of Guinea.
Oleg Kravchenko, head of the Golden Energy Management, confirmed that none among the crew was injured during the hijack. The crew members are in the process of assessing the damage.
Immediately after the hijacking, the captain contacted the ship owner and assured the safety of all crewmembers.
Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore Kabir Aliyu confirmed that authorities have located the ship in Nigerian waters, and that they are still in pursuit of the gang that had taken it.
Commodore Aliyu adds that when the hijacked vessel was located heading to Lagos, the pirates had already fled, Channels Television reported.
Source: http://www.calcuttanews.net/index.php?sid/208788217/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc
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