Pirates spare mother and child in PNG

By DOROTHY MARK
ARMED pirates attacked a dinghy but left a mother and her baby, a 13-year-old girl and eight others unharmed. However, two others are still missing after they were forced to jump into the sea.

The terrifying drama unfolded at 3pm on Saturday when the dinghy, skippered by a man called Zebedi Moka, ran into six pirates armed with homemade guns, two bush knives and two catapults. Moka said the pirates ordered everyone, except the mother and her baby, to jump into the sea near the Kalibobo Lighthouse towards the Gogol River.

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Source: thenational.com.pg

Pirates kidnap three Romanian sailors

Pirates have reportedly kidnapped three Romanian sailors aboard a tanker ship off Lome, Togo.

This was after sea robbers attempted to board a container ship owned by Singapore’s Pacific International Lines while the vessel was sailing on the high sea around Nigeria’s Niger Delta region on February 21.

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Source: punchng.com

Maritime Security News Note:

There has been a sharp spike in piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea over the last three weeks. This is potentially a political message from President Buhari’s opponents and organised crime groups in the Niger Delta. We have seen three crew kidnapped here as well as eight crew from Chinese fishing vessels in recent weeks, representing a worrying increase in risk for merchant vessels visiting the region.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao gets new commander

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Vice Adm. Rene Empedrad, Philippine Navy chief, on Thursday installed a new commander for Naval Forces Western Mindanao to replace Vice Adm. Rene Medina, who now heads the Western Command in Palawan.

Rear Adm. Erick Kagadan replaces Medina at NFWM.

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Source: philstar.com

Speedboats and Kalashnikovs: Pirates Attack Oil Platforms in Mexico

The boardings in Mexico have increased by 310% and involve losses of more than 10 million euros for the State Enterprise of Petróleos Mexicanos.

In Mexico, pirates do not wave black flags with skulls and crossbones, nor do they wear eye patches or wooden legs. The old codes of piracy are no longer respected. Now what is imposed in the gulf is to attack with speedboats oil platforms armed with Ak47 (kalashnikov) and take a substantial booty with total and absolute impunity.

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Source: maritimeherald.com