Pirates boarded Danish ship in Gulf of Guinea

COPENHAGEN: Pirates boarded a Danish-owned Liberian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Guinea over the weekend, the owner said on Tuesday, adding that contact with the 16 crew members had been lost.

The 135-metre-long Monjasa Reformer “experienced an emergency situation” on Saturday around 160 miles west of Port Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo, owner Monjasa said. The shipowner added that the crew had sought refuge in the tanker´s secure room or “citadel” when the pirates boarded, “in accordance with the onboard anti-piracy emergency protocol”.

“Onboard communications channels are currently down and we are working with the local authorities to establish communication to understand the situation on board and provide all the support needed by the crew to overcome these dreadful events,” Monjasa said.