Pirate Attack: Tanker And Crew Safely Recovered Off Abidjan Coast

By Shiyin Chen (Bloomberg) A Singapore-registered oil tanker that was boarded earlier this week by “unidentified persons” off the coast of Africa has been located.

The Success 9 was found off the coast of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Saturday and the crew was reported safe, according to a statement from the government of Singapore, where the vessel is registered. A commercial ship passing by had picked up and reported a distress call from the tanker, which has since safely arrived in Abidjan port. 

The small oil tanker was attacked by pirates in international waters 600 kilometers (373 miles) south of the city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s Army Chief of Staff Lassina Doumbia said in a statement Saturday confirming that the vessel was recovered.

The owners of Success 9 had been unable to contact the ship since it was boarded Monday night off Ivory Coast. After the boarding, the ship’s owner and several multinational agencies conducted a coordinated search and alerted nearby commercial ships to assist in locating the vessel. 

Related book: Seized: A Sea Captain’s Adventures Battling Scoundrels and Pirates While Recovering Stolen Ships in the World’s Most Troubled Waters by Max Hardberger

By Shiyin Chen, With assistance from Baudelaire Mieu and Katarina Hoije. © 2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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