Pirates hijack tanker off Western Africa

Photo via Marine Traffic © Peter Beentjes

According to several reports, pirates in the Gulf of Guinea have hijacked an Italian tanker in an attack reminiscent of hijackings off the Somali Coast.  BBC tells us:

Assailants boarded the RBD Anema e Core early on Sunday in the Gulf of Guinea, officials in Benin and Italy confirmed.

Two of the 23 crew are Italians, the others Filipinos and a Romanian.

Benin’s navy said it was following the hijacked ship while Italy’s foreign ministry liaised with its owner in Naples.

Three pirates managed to board the ship 23 nautical miles (43km) south of Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin, Italian media said. Keep Reading…