Barely three days after Nigerian pirates attacked cargo vessel, kidnap eight crew off Bayelsa state kidnapping eight seafarers from their vessel BBC Caribbean, the Nigerian Navy said it has recorded another major feat in its on-going operations against piracy and other criminalities on Nigerian waters, with the rescue of MT RIO SPIRIT and another oil tanker, MT GAZ PROVIDENCE which came under pirate attack on Tuesday off Bonny Island in River State.
The rescued ship had 21 crew members on-board and upon encountering the pirates, she sent a distress call which prompted the Nigerian Navy to dispatch NNS OKPABANA to rescue her.
Acting Director of Information; Navy Captain Suleiman Dahun, said NNS OKPABANA personnel boarded the rescued oil tanker to investigate and gather information on the failed hijack attempt”
In a related development, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship; VICTORY also repelled a pirate attack on an oil tanker MT RIO SPIRIT. The pirates attempted to hijack the oil tanker after she loaded products from QUA IBOE terminal and sailed 110 nautical miles south of Akassa in Delta State where the incident took place.
Not mindful of the fact that the vessel was under security cover by the operatives of the Nigerian Navy who were on-board a security vessel, the assailants swooped on MT RIO SPIRIT in an attempt to hijack her.
“The Nigerian Navy operatives repelled the attack and secured the route of the vessel. Not deterred, the pirates made another spirited effort to hijack MT RIO SPIRIT 30 minutes after the first attempt which was also repelled. However, she was successfully escorted to safety as she continued her voyage.”
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