Gallantry: Navy Foils Attack On Ship, Rescues 25 Foreigners

The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempt by suspected sea pirates to hijack a Maersk merchant ship, carrying cargo to Nigeria.
It also prevented the abduction of about 25 foreigners aboard the ship.

The executive officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Captain Olusegun Soyemi, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said that the vessel berthed safely with the rescued crew members unharmed.

Soyemi stated that the crew members, including the ship’s captain consisted of many nationalities: eight Philippines, eight South Africans, five Indians, two Britons and two from Thailand.

He said the ship, Safmarine Kuramo, registered in Singapore, was transporting general cargo from Port-Noire, Congo, to Onne Sea Port in Rivers State when it came under attack.

“On January 5, 2016, at about 08:00 hours; Sufmarine Kuramo was attacked by sea pirates about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island Fairway Bouy. We got may-day distress call that the ship was boarded by unconfirmed number of sea pirates after entering the nation’s territorial waters.

“We immediately dispatched a warship (NNS Centenary) and attack gunboats led by Navy Capt. Chiedozie Okehie of the Eastern Naval Command to rescue the situation.The sea pirates apparently on sighting advancing naval troops fled the scene for fear of being arrested by our operatives.

Also, the commanding officer of NNS Centenary, Capt. Chiedozie Okehie, who led the operation, said the crew members locked and hid themselves in the ship’s citadel (engine room).

Okehie said the rescue was successful partly due to the courage exhibited by the ship’s captain – a woman, who covertly gave  the Navy operational support.