Report: Chemical Tanker Attacked by Pirates in Gulf of Guinea

 

A pirate attack has been reported aboard a chemical tanker off the coast of Togo in the Gulf of Guinea, a rare occurrence in what was once a hotspot of maritime hijackings and kidnappings. 

Maritime risk consultancy Vanguard Tech reported that a vessel has been attacked about 56 nautical miles south of Lome. The ship in question is "highly likely" to be the chemical tanker Endo Ponente, the firm reported. 

AIS data provided by Pole Star shows that Endo Ponente got under way from an anchorage off Lome on the morning of August 28 and headed due south, making 6-7 knots. At about 1830, she made a round turn to starboard and her speed dropped to less than a knot. 

According to operator BSM, a skiff approached the tanker. The Ponente's master promptly alerted shore-based staff and all crew retreated to the citadel, where they remained until Togolese Navy boats arrived. "By the time the Navy reached the scene, the skiff had disappeared. A ship search was carried out and nothing abnormal was found. All crew members are accounted for and safe and sound. The crew deserves thanks for their quick and thoughtful actions," BSM said in a statement. 

Endo Ponente is a 2010-built chemical tanker flagged in Malta.