Reporting indicates that the Liberian flagged Heavy Load carrier Zhen Hua 7, was boarded while drifting off Sao Tome, resulting in the kidnap of 14 crew.
According to Dryad Global, 14 crew have been kidnapped. The vessel has had a crew of 27 personnel, and is now inbound Sao Tome escorted by the Italian Naval vessel Frederico Martiningo.
This incident was the 8th offshore incident within the Gulf of Guinea within 9 days.
With the confirmation of the latest kidnapping there is a potential that the rate of incidents will decline in the short term
However, while it is not confirmed that the activity over the past 9 days was perpetuated by a single PAG the risk profile for all vessels operating within the region has remains at critical, with attacks assessed as highly likely / expected daily.
This incident is the 21st kidnapping within the Gulf of Guinea within 2020 and the total number of crews kidnapped from vessels throughout the area in 2020 is 110.
