WARRI: The Russian embassy in Nigeria said on Friday pirates have kidnapped the Russian captain and two crewmen off a ship in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea.

Spokesman Artyom Romanov said the pirates hijacked the Greek-flagged Saronic Breeze off the coast of Benin on Tuesday and sailed the vessel to Nigeria before abandoning it in waters near Nigeria’s southeastern oil capital of Port Harcourt.

He said the pirates have taken three Russian hostages the captain, second engineer and a cook. Romanov said Russian diplomats are working to secure their release.

Ship hijackings and kidnappings of crew are common in the region with hostages often released unharmed after a ransom is paid. Bandits usually target oil tankers and sell the crude but the Saronic Breeze is listed as a refrigerated reefer.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2016