A Singapore-registered oil tanker, Success 9, that was boarded by pirates earlier this week off the coast of Africa has been located and its crew confirmed safe, according to a statement from the government of Singapore. The vessel was found off the coast of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Saturday after a commercial ship passing by picked up a distress call from the tanker. The Success 9 has since arrived safely in Abidjan port.
The ship's owners had been unable to contact the vessel since it was boarded on Monday night off the coast of Ivory Coast. After the incident, the ship's owner and several multinational agencies conducted a coordinated search and alerted nearby commercial ships to assist in locating the tanker.
Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, the region where the ship was boarded, has been a growing problem in recent years. The International Maritime Bureau has reported an increase in piracy in the area, with hijackings and kidnappings of crew members being common. In response, countries in the region have increased naval patrols and security measures to combat piracy.
The successful rescue of the Success 9 and its crew is a positive development in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. The coordinated efforts of the ship's owner and multinational agencies, as well as the prompt response of nearby commercial ships, demonstrate the importance of cooperation and quick action in ensuring the safety of vessels and their crews in this high-risk area.