Ten armed pirates boarded a tanker while it was underway some 26 nautical miles off the Indonesian Mangkai Island on Tuesday, according to data released by International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC).
The pirates entered the bridge as the second officer was altering course and held the officer and the duty able seaman “hostage at gun point and beat them,” IMB PRC said.
After they went to the Master’s cabin, they took the Master and the other crew hostage as well.
The pirates stole the vessel’s GPS and Navtex equipment and removed the cabling from the remaining satellite communication equipment.
Before escaping they stole cash and other personal effects from the crew and released the Master.
The name of the tanker in question was not revealed.
IMB PRC reported a number of boarding attempts in the Indonesian waters in June.
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