Singapore oil tanker boarded by presumed pirates off coast of Africa
- The tanker Success 9 had 20 crew of various nationalities aboard, one of whom was Singaporean, when it ‘was boarded by unidentified persons’
- A patrol boat has been unable to locate the tanker as its beacon had been turned off, said an Ivorian security source involved in the matter
The Gulf of Guinea has become a hotspot for global piracy in recent years, although incidents have dwindled since 2021 as national authorities stepped up security efforts, helped by foreign naval ships, the United Nations says.
The tanker Success 9 had 20 crew of various nationalities aboard, one of whom was Singaporean, when it “was boarded by unidentified persons” on Monday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said.
In a statement on Tuesday, the port authority said it was working closely with the shipowner, Monrovian maritime rescue officials and the city state’s Changi command and control centre to monitor the situation and provide assistance.
It gave no further details of the incident, such as the nationalities of the rest of the crew.