The Swiss company; Massoel Shipping, owners of the bulk carrier; MV Glarus that was attacked by Nigerian pirates last weekend said yesterday that it has made contact with the hostage takers.
The pirates boarded the MV Glarus by means of long ladders and cut the razor wire on deck to gain access to the vessel and eventually the bridge. Having destroyed much of the vessel’s communications equipment the criminal gang departed, taking 12 of the 19 crew members as hostage.
Among the kidnapped crew members are seven nationals of the Philippines, with a national each from Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Romania
But, in a terse statement sighted by Shipping Position Daily, Massoel Shipping confirmed that the 12 crew are safe, but the company failed to give further details.
The Geneva-based company said in an emailed statement that: "It is understood that all crew are together and all are well and unharmed”.
The statement comes after Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia all confirmed on Monday that their nationals are among those taken hostage.
It apparently distraught company categorically maintained that, it will not be “making any further comments on operational issues as this could prejudice the safety of those being held”.
The MV Glarus is currently safe at Port Harcourt with the remaining seven crew members on board, Massoel Shipping said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Monday said it had started rescue operations for the 12 crew members.
The NIMASA Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside, told newsmen in Lagos that the agency was working hard to ensure the release of the crew.
“We are working closely with Forward Operation Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy, the Falcon Eye alongside others to secure their release unconditionally.
“The agency is saddened about the attack and the perpetrator will surely be brought to book to serve as deterrent to others,” Peterside said.
According to him, “the issue of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is a challenge we acknowledge and we are determined to tackle it head-on. We will continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Navy and other relevant partners to ensure we bring it to a halt. Zero tolerance to piracy and all forms of illegalities on our nation’s waterways is our goal”.
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