Crew Members Captured In Liberian-flagged oil and chemicals tanker Monjasa Reformer

The Liberian-flagged oil and chemicals tanker Monjasa Reformer was boarded by five armed people on Saturday, 225km (140 miles) west of the Republic of Congo’s Port Pointe-Noire.

The vessel’s owner, Monjasa, reported that the pirates have taken some crew members with them, while others have been brought to safety. The Reformer subsequently went missing but was later located by the French navy off Sao Tome and Principe.

The rescued crew members are all in good health, and no damage was reported to the ship or its cargo. However, Monjasa stated that their thoughts are with the crew members still missing and their families during this stressful period. The company also said that they would continue working closely with local authorities to support the safe return of their seafarers to their families.

The Gulf of Guinea is described by the International Maritime Bureau as one of the world’s most dangerous shipping routes, covering 11,000sq km (4,247sq miles) and stretching from Angola to Senegal. Since 2021, piracy cases have been on the decline due to cooperation among countries in the region and deployments of foreign naval ships, according to the United Nations Security Council.

Denmark, which has large commercial shipping interests, deployed a frigate to the gulf in 2021 to protect shipping. However, the ship was pulled back last year after the outbreak of the Ukraine war. In November 2021, a Danish naval patrol killed four pirates in an exchange of fire just outside Nigeria’s territorial waters.