The Office of Naval Intelligence has issued its Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly Report for 16 – 22 February 2017. According to the report, pirate and maritime crime activity in East Africa waters is at a low level. There were no reported suspicious incidents this past week.
Horn of Africa – Piracy Events Over The Past Week
- Vessels Hijacked: No incidents to report.
- Vessels Boarded: No incidents to report.
- Vessels Fired Upon/Attempted Boardings: No incidents to report.
- Other Activity: No incidents to report.
Gulf of Guinea – Piracy Events Over The Past Week
Pirate and maritime crime activity in West Africa waters is at a high level. There was one kidnapping event and one boarding reported this past week; with three other boardings, with no further information available.
- Vessels Hijacked: No incidents to report.
- Kidnapping:
- NIGERIA: On 20 February, suspected militants kidnapped a Nigerian Army lieutenant while he was patrolling the Oteyi area of Abule-Ado, Lagos. A witness reported that he saw several militants dragging the officer into a waiting speed boat while they were shooting into the air and made their escape into the creeks.
- NIGERIA: On 19 February, armed pirates in a speedboat boarded an underway asphalt tanker near position 05:12N – 004:48E, 33 nm west southwest of Forcados. Alarm was raised, SSAS activated and all crew retreated to the citadel. Incident reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre which contacted the Nigerian Navy and requested assistance. Two naval vessels were dispatched to assist the vessel. The pirates damaged ship’s equipment, stole ship’s properties, and escaped before the naval teams boarded the vessel to rescue the crew. All crew are safe.
- Vessels Fired Upon/Attempted Boarding/Attack: No incidents to report.
- Other Activity: No incidents to report.
Further information may be found in the following report:
Also read ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) report, which provides info on piracy threats to, and criminal action against, merchant vessels worldwide in the last 30 days (23 January – 22 February 2017).
- INDONESIA: On 23 February, five robbers armed with a knife boarded an offshore tug anchored in Batu Ampar Anchorage, Batam Island.
- NIGERIA: On 20 February, suspected militants kidnapped a Nigerian Army lieutenant while he was patrolling the Oteyi area of Abule-Ado, Lagos.
- NIGERIA: On 19 February, armed pirates in a speedboat boarded an underway asphalt tanker 33 nm westsouthwest of Forcados.
- LIBYA: On 19 February, the vehicle carrier MORNING COMPASS was seized by Libyan military forces in eastern Libyan waters.
- PHILIPPINES: On 19 February, pirates believed to be affiliated with Abu Sayyaf, boarded the Vietnamflagged cargo ship GIANG HAI near approximately 35 nm northwest of Doc Can Island.
- SOUTH KOREA: On 16 February, a South Korean fisheries patrol boat fired 900 rounds from a machine gun to drive off dozens of Chinese fishing vessels that were allegedly trying to interfere with an interdiction operation.
- ST LUCIA: On 13 February, robbers boarded an anchored sailing yacht at the Soufriere Bat Caves.
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: On 12 February, a robber armed with a knife boarded an anchored sailing yacht in Marina Zar Par.
- ST MARTIN: On 8 February, robbers boarded an anchored sailing yacht in Marigot Bay
Further details may be found by reading ONI WTS report:
NGA Special Warning 134
Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden Commercial vessels in the region of the Red Sea, Bab el Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden should operate under a heightened state of alert as increasing tensions in the region escalate the potential for direct or collateral damage to vessels transiting the region. These threats may come from a variety of different sources such as missiles, projectiles or waterborne improvised explosive devices. Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an 01 October attack on a UAE vessel. Vessels in the region should report hostile activities immediately and contact coalition naval forces via VHF bridge to bridge radio.
Source: ONI
