One Ukrainian citizen has been kidnapped in a pirate attack on a crude oil tanked flying the flag of Liberia off the coast of Nigeria, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said.
“The Embassy of Ukraine Greece reported a pirate attack on the Alpine Penelop vessel (flying the flag of Liberia, owned by Greek company Goldenport Shipmanagement Ltd.) in the early hours of February 20 off the coast of Nigeria. As a result of the attack, ten crew members, including one Ukrainian citizen, were kidnapped and taken to an undisclosed location,” the ministry’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine on Feb. 21.
The owner of the vessel has created a response team for release of the crew members, the ministry said.
“Professional negotiators will deal with the talks. The Embassy of Ukraine in Greece keeps in touch with a representative of the vessel owner who leads the response team. They have established contact with the kidnappers,” reads the statement.
The ministry has contacted the family of the Ukrainian sailor through the Odesa-based branch of the shipowner. The ministry promised that the issue is under control of the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece and the ministry’s Consular Department.
Earlier, Georgian television channel Rustavi 2 reported that there were citizens of Georgia, Ukraine and Philippines among the ten kidnapped crew members of the crude oil tanker.
On February 20, armed pirates attacked the vessel with 24 crew members on board near the port in Lagos, Nigeria.
