According to international news, three seafarers who were kidnapped off the bulk carrier Grebe Bulker in early May, have apparently been released after weeks in captivity.
The crew’s release was confirmed by both the shipping company Eagle Bulk and Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The vessel was attacked by pirates off the coast of Gabon, on May 2nd. The attack on the 58,000-dwt Glebe Bulker (built 2010) occurred 4.7 nautical miles off the Owendo anchorage.
The ship had stopped in Lagos and then Port Harcourt, Nigeria, before heading to the berth off the coast of Gabon. Prior to the kidnapping, the vessel had 20 crew members on board. According to the company’s initial claim, once the crew members went missing, the ship was searched and the local port authorities were notified.
Eagle Bulk praised everyone involved, including crew members, for their “strength and fortitude” throughout the 18-day ordeal. The crew will be returning home in the coming days. It is unknown whether the pirates were paid a ransom to free the crew.
Piracy in Gulf of Guinea
To remind, a few weeks ago six crew members of a Danish oil tanker that had been kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Congo were also rescued. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea remains a major concern.
