Pirates Kidnap Seven Russian Sailors

in Gulf of Guinea
July 20, 2020 by Reuters

MT Curacao Trader. File Photo: MarineTraffic.com / Bevaldia Diving Services

LAGOS, July 20 (Reuters) – Pirates have kidnapped seven Russian sailors
from the crew of a ship in the Gulf of Guinea, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria
said on Monday.

The seven Russians were among 13 crew members pirates abducted from
the Curacao Trader 210 miles off the coast of Benin last Friday, the embassy
said on its official Twitter account, but did not provide further details.

The shipping industry has warned in recent months about increased

incidents of piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around
Nigeria.

Pirates this month attacked an oil production vessel off Nigeria and kidnapped
nine Nigerian nationals.

(Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-

Farber; Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Alison Williams)