Piracy: Navy launches search for kidnapped 11 crew of container ship

Abiodun oba |

Men of The Nigerian Navy said have begun an investigation and search and rescue operation for the 11 crew of MV Pomerania Sky, a container ship.

A Navy spokesman said an update would be provided soon on the 11 crew kidnapped in the attack by pirates, operating off-Lagos.

The vessel’s management firm and Polish state media reported that pirates boarded the container ship off the coast of Nigeria, seizing 11 crew including eight from Poland.

The attackers struck the MV Pomerania Sky, bound for the Nigerian port of Onne, early on Saturday and abducted 11 of the crew, Midocean (IOM) Ltd said in a statement. The firm added that nine others remained on board and were unharmed.

“Our priority is securing the earliest release of the 11 crew who have been taken and we are working closely with our partners and the local authorities to achieve that,” Midocean said.

“The families of those crew members taken are being kept informed of the situation,” said the company. It added the vessel had proceeded to safe waters.

Midocean declined to say where the kidnapped crew members were from, but Polish state media, citing Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, said eight of them were from Poland.

The nationality of the three other abducted crew members was not immediately clear.