Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

[SkippedOnce]

Couldn't ID a previous thread on West Africa, and this appears to be an unusual incident, possibly signalling a new modus. Still, it might give the Turkish Navy something better to do than cutting around the E Med. As if the start of 2021 hadn't already given the world enough to deal with.

'Armed pirates attacked a Turkish cargo ship off the West African coast, kidnapping 15 sailors and killing one of them, officials said Sunday as Turkey sought to recover the captured crew.

'The Liberian-flagged M/V Mozart was sailing from Lagos, Nigeria, to Cape Town in South Africa when it was attacked Saturday morning 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northwest of the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

'Turkey's Maritime Directorate said the crew initially locked themselves in a safe area but the pirates forced entry after six hours. During the struggle, one crew member aboard died. It identified the victim as engineer Farman Ismayilov of Azerbaijan, the only non-Turkish crew member.

'After kidnapping most of the crew, the pirates left the ship in the Gulf of Guinea with three sailors aboard, state-run Anadolu news agency said. According to reports, the pirates disabled most of the ship's systems, leaving only the navigation system for the remaining crew to find their way to Gabon's Port-Gentil.

'The Gulf of Guinea, off the coasts of Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, Benin and Cameroon, is the most dangerous sea in the world for piracy, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

'Maritime security consultancy Dryad Global described the attack as an exceptional incident for both its severity and distance from shore. Last year, boardings in the waters off West Africa rose to 18 from 13 in 2019, the London-based firm added.'

Pirates attack Turkish ship off West Africa coast; kill 1, kidnap 15

Turkish President Erdogan has spoken to the ship's captain

www.theweek.in

 

[rockpile]

Couldn't ID a previous thread, and this appears to be an unusual incident, possibly signalling a new modus. Still, it might give the Turkish Navy something better to do than cutting around the E Med.

'Armed pirates attacked a Turkish cargo ship off the West African coast, kidnapping 15 sailors and killing one of them, officials said Sunday as Turkey sought to recover the captured crew.

'The Liberian-flagged M/V Mozart was sailing from Lagos, Nigeria, to Cape Town in South Africa when it was attacked Saturday morning 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northwest of the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

'Turkey's Maritime Directorate said the crew initially locked themselves in a safe area but the pirates forced entry after six hours. During the struggle, one crew member aboard died. It identified the victim as engineer Farman Ismayilov of Azerbaijan, the only non-Turkish crew member. As if the start of 2021 hadn't already given the world enough to deal with.

'After kidnapping most of the crew, the pirates left the ship in the Gulf of Guinea with three sailors aboard, state-run Anadolu news agency said. According to reports, the pirates disabled most of the ship's systems, leaving only the navigation system for the remaining crew to find their way to Gabon's Port-Gentil.

'The Gulf of Guinea, off the coasts of Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, Benin and Cameroon, is the most dangerous sea in the world for piracy, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

'Maritime security consultancy Dryad Global described the attack as an exceptional incident for both its severity and distance from shore. Last year, boardings in the waters off West Africa rose to 18 from 13 in 2019, the London-based firm added.'

Pirates attack Turkish ship off West Africa coast; kill 1, kidnap 15

Turkish President Erdogan has spoken to the ship's captain

www.theweek.in

Going to anchor of the Isle of Wight perchance?

 

[SkippedOnce]

Going to anchor of the Isle of Wight perchance?

Hardly likely, if you 'd bothered to read it rather than simply react with a dog-whistle.

'After kidnapping most of the crew, the pirates left the ship in the Gulf of Guinea with three sailors aboard, state-run Anadolu news agency said. According to reports, the pirates disabled most of the ship's systems, leaving only the navigation system for the remaining crew to find their way to Gabon's Port-Gentil.

 

[rockpile]

Hadn't likely, if you 'd bothered to read it rather than simply react with a dog-whistle.

'After kidnapping most of the crew, the pirates left the ship in the Gulf of Guinea with three sailors aboard, state-run Anadolu news agency said. According to reports, the pirates disabled most of the ship's systems, leaving only the navigation system for the remaining crew to find their way to Gabon's Port-Gentil.

I did read it. But your comment was informative.

 

[Wee Hawken]

Couldn't ID a previous thread on West Africa, and this appears to be an unusual incident, possibly signalling a new modus. Still, it might give the Turkish Navy something better to do than cutting around the E Med. As if the start of 2021 hadn't already given the world enough to deal with.

The location is certainly what makes this one quite interesting as it demonstrates greater reach than seen in previous incidents. These attacks have been going on for perhaps 10+ years now.

Leaving a minimum of crew onboard (enough to get the ship to a safe place) is fairly standard. The reported trashing of the ship's systems may have more to do with frustration resulting from the length of time it took to extract the crew - rather than necessarily a change in tactics as such. You can do a lot of damage to a ship in six hours.

Just unfortunate that there was - presumably - no warship close enough to do something about it.

 

[Yokel]

@fantassin will correct me if I am wrong, but I think France maintains a naval presence in that part of the World in an anti piracy role, the only non African nation to do so.

 

[Wee Hawken]

@fantassin will correct me if I am wrong, but I think France maintains a naval presence in that part of the World in an anti piracy role, the only non African nation to do so.

I think that other nations have flitted in and out of the region (and exercised there) but none on a permanent basis.

Ironically: maritime piracy currently poses a greater threat in the Gulf of Guinea than it does in the Gulf of Aden where it has been successfully repressed for several years - very few incidents in the area since around 2012.

The difference is that it doesn't really pose a threat to world trade and as a result has attracted less of an international response.

 

[fantassin]

@fantassin will correct me if I am wrong, but I think France maintains a naval presence in that part of the World in an anti piracy role, the only non African nation to do so.

Yes, it id called the Corymbe mission.

Since 1990, France has been deploying one or two vessels on an almost permanent basis on the Corymbe mission in the Gulf of Guinea. The mission has two major objectives: to be in a position to provide possible protection for French nationals in the area in the event of a crisis and to contribute to the reduction of maritime insecurity, in particular by helping to strengthen the capacities of the navies bordering the Gulf and the centres of the structure resulting from the Yaoundé process. The deployment of French vessels on the Corymbe mission completes the French presence in West Africa (Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal) and participates in the maritime component of the operational cooperation implemented regionally by these forces

French Navy LHD 'Tonnerre' heads for the Gulf of Guinea - Naval News

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) Mistral-class LHD "Tonnerre" has sailed from Toulon to take part in operation Corymbe in the Gulf of Guinea.

www.navalnews.com

 

[NSP]

Couldn't ID a previous thread on West Africa, and this appears to be an unusual incident, possibly signalling a new modus. Still, it might give the Turkish Navy something better to do than cutting around the E Med. As if the start of 2021 hadn't already given the world enough to deal with.

'Armed pirates attacked a Turkish cargo ship off the West African coast, kidnapping 15 sailors and killing one of them, officials said Sunday as Turkey sought to recover the captured crew.

'The Liberian-flagged M/V Mozart was sailing from Lagos, Nigeria, to Cape Town in South Africa when it was attacked Saturday morning 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northwest of the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

'Turkey's Maritime Directorate said the crew initially locked themselves in a safe area but the pirates forced entry after six hours. During the struggle, one crew member aboard died. It identified the victim as engineer Farman Ismayilov of Azerbaijan, the only non-Turkish crew member.

'After kidnapping most of the crew, the pirates left the ship in the Gulf of Guinea with three sailors aboard, state-run Anadolu news agency said. According to reports, the pirates disabled most of the ship's systems, leaving only the navigation system for the remaining crew to find their way to Gabon's Port-Gentil.

'The Gulf of Guinea, off the coasts of Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, Benin and Cameroon, is the most dangerous sea in the world for piracy, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

'Maritime security consultancy Dryad Global described the attack as an exceptional incident for both its severity and distance from shore. Last year, boardings in the waters off West Africa rose to 18 from 13 in 2019, the London-based firm added.'

Pirates attack Turkish ship off West Africa coast; kill 1, kidnap 15

Turkish President Erdogan has spoken to the ship's captain

www.theweek.in

This is nothing new - been going on for decades. I suspect that it's only made the media in civilised parts of the world because of the fatality. European (i.e. ransomworthy) workers for the oil companies, etc. have pretty much been being lifted for a wedge of cash since they found the oil, give or take. Oftentimes they're only gone for 24-48hrs before the company/insurers pay the agreed sum and matey-boy is dropped off somewhere. Rinse and repeat. No headlines generated.

This lot are particularly prolific at the sport:-

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

From a worker's compound, in the delta, off the coast or out at sea; whatever the group they'll go after whatever they think they can get wherever they can find it. Some of them make the Somalian mob look quite fluffy and civilised.

I did a couple of jobs down that part of the world when I was young, stupid, naive and unknowing. Very quickly decided that there was enough money to be made in waters closer to home or in the PG or Far East (and those waters are not devoid of their own piracy issues) and have given it a stiff avoiding ever since.

 

[fantassin]

Yes, it id called the Corymbe mission.

Since 1990, France has been deploying one or two vessels on an almost permanent basis on the Corymbe mission in the Gulf of Guinea. The mission has two major objectives: to be in a position to provide possible protection for French nationals in the area in the event of a crisis and to contribute to the reduction of maritime insecurity, in particular by helping to strengthen the capacities of the navies bordering the Gulf and the centres of the structure resulting from the Yaoundé process. The deployment of French vessels on the Corymbe mission completes the French presence in West Africa (Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal) and participates in the maritime component of the operational cooperation implemented regionally by these forces

French Navy LHD 'Tonnerre' heads for the Gulf of Guinea - Naval News

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) Mistral-class LHD "Tonnerre" has sailed from Toulon to take part in operation Corymbe in the Gulf of Guinea.

www.navalnews.com

The current Corymbe mission has a detachment of portuguese Naval Rifles with them. They conduct the same boarding and training activities as the French element.

 

[fantassin]

This is what a GTE (amphibious Coy BG) looks like. There is one in each Corymbe mission.

 

[merchantman]

Seems there is to be a new initiative to deal with piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Denmark is on board, it will be interesting to see how far this gets

Shipping Industry Unites in Effort to Stop Gulf of Guinea Piracy

To raise world attention on the threats to shipping in the Gulf of Guinea and take the first steps t...

www.maritime-executive.com

 

[fantassin]

Seems there is to be a new initiative to deal with piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Denmark is on board, it will be interesting to see how far this gets

Shipping Industry Unites in Effort to Stop Gulf of Guinea Piracy

To raise world attention on the threats to shipping in the Gulf of Guinea and take the first steps t...

www.maritime-executive.com

The power of Maersk.....

 

[razvedchik]

This is nothing new - been going on for decades. I suspect that it's only made the media in civilised parts of the world because of the fatality. European (i.e. ransomworthy) workers for the oil companies, etc. have pretty much been being lifted for a wedge of cash since they found the oil, give or take. Oftentimes they're only gone for 24-48hrs before the company/insurers pay the agreed sum and matey-boy is dropped off somewhere. Rinse and repeat. No headlines generated.

This lot are particularly prolific at the sport:-

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

From a worker's compound, in the delta, off the coast or out at sea; whatever the group they'll go after whatever they think they can get wherever they can find it. Some of them make the Somalian mob look quite fluffy and civilised.

I did a couple of jobs down that part of the world when I was young, stupid, naive and unknowing. Very quickly decided that there was enough money to be made in waters closer to home or in the PG or Far East (and those waters are not devoid of their own piracy issues) and have given it a stiff avoiding ever since.

MEND has been out of business for a decade.

 

[Syledis]

The waters outside Port Harcourt was always a favourite spot for thieving, it went from a small boat coming alongside to steal anything not tied down then away, to more organised Piracy in a short period of time.

 

[razvedchik]

The waters outside Port Harcourt was always a favourite spot for thieving, it went from a small boat coming alongside to steal anything not tied down then away, to more organised Piracy in a short period of time.

Port Harcourt is a long way upriver - so not really piracy (according to the IMO definition). All ports in the region suffer the kind of theft and illegal boarding attempts that you refer to. The most active is Lagos. Warri, Onne, Calabar in Nigeria all suffer the same to varying degrees. .

 

[NSP]

MEND has been out of business for a decade.

It's been somewhat longer than that since I last went near the place. Who's filling the void...? I don't imagine that it's got any better, really...??

 

[Syledis]

Port Harcourt is a long way upriver - so not really piracy (according to the IMO definition). All ports in the region suffer the kind of theft and illegal boarding attempts that you refer to. The most active is Lagos. Warri, Onne, Calabar in Nigeria all suffer the same to varying degrees. .

I wasnt saying it happened in PH itself, pilfering in ports is a fact of life there, It was Piracy at the end as we had several ships, normally small supply vessels or chase boats taken, and either ransomed back or totally stripped of anything valuable, and it was always once past Bonny Island

 

[merchantman]

Seems there is to be a new initiative to deal with piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Denmark is on board, it will be interesting to see how far this gets

Shipping Industry Unites in Effort to Stop Gulf of Guinea Piracy

To raise world attention on the threats to shipping in the Gulf of Guinea and take the first steps t...

www.maritime-executive.com

The Danes caught some but let them go, hope they are safe!!!

Denmark frees suspected pirates in dinghy in Gulf of Guinea

The suspects had been detained at sea in the Gulf of Guinea in November. A fourth remains in custody.

www.bbc.co.uk

Beaten to it on the other thread

 

[razvedchik]

It's been somewhat longer than that since I last went near the place. Who's filling the void...? I don't imagine that it's got any better, really...??

I was there for just shy of four years - 06-09 and then worked the consultancy circuit there until 2013 when I went to work in Lagos. Escaped early last year! The militants are now into guarding pipelines and also emptying them into their own barges and tankers. All helped along by the Nigerian security forces, courts and politicians. It is a multi-million dollar industry. Sea piracy is now very well organised and run by a small number of cartels (4-6 depending on which analysis you read). Again, all sponsored by powerful men in expensive suits. Nigeria is completely anarchic - and getting worse by the month.