While the guard discharged his weapon on board the vessel, at no time did he directly threaten or harm any of the crewmembers, the company stated. The remaining two guards did not participate in this action. Unbeknownst to the Company, there was an employment dispute between the guard and his employer, and he had not been paid for several months.
Eagle Bulk Shipping issued a press statement to explain key actions that followed; in coordination with maritime security experts, the company worked to deescalate the situation and after a period of approximately three days, the guard surrendered his weapon and allowed the ship to continue on its original course. Relevant authorities were kept appraised throughout the incident, and the guard was finally disembarked.
Furthermore, the company maintained regular contact with the Captain throughout this event, and V Ships, the vessel’s crewing manager, also maintained an active dialogue with the crew’s families to keep them updated.
