Six pirates armed with AK-47 rifles in a speed boat repeatedly attempted to board a crude oil tanker off Brass in the Niger Delta area on Monday.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre, while commenting on the attack, said the pirates made seven attempts to hook an aluminum ladder on the tanker’s railing but were unsuccessful due to the ship’s evasive manoeuvres.
IMB said the frustrated pirates consequently opened fire on the ship and scampered away.
The Master of the ship also reportedly raised the alarm, transmitted distress message, and increased speed, while the crew secured all access doors.
The incident occurred in the morning hours of February 19, 2018 while the tanker was underway in the Gulf of Guinea, some 25 nautical miles off Nigeria’s coast.
IMB said a Nigerian Navy boat was in contact with the tanker and arrived at the location, even as the tanker and its crew have been reported to be safe.
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