Russian, Nigerian sailors kidnapped off coast of Nigeria
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 25 February 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russian, Nigerian sailors kidnapped off coast of Nigeria, 25 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570cdf67e.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
February 25, 2016
Two sailors, one Russian and the other Nigerian, have been kidnapped from a ship belonging to French oil-industry-services company Bourbon off Nigeria's coast, the company says.
The ship was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, but the crew managed to send a distress call.
Nigeria's navy assaulted the ship and rescued most of the crew. However, the hijackers got away with two hostages, authorities said.
Bourbon saidon February 24 that 10 crew members were "back on board the vessel in Onne port, safe and sound."
In April 2015, another of the company's boats was attacked off Nigeria and three crew members were taken hostage. They were freed unharmed one month later.
In recent years oil company employees have become a target for armed groups, which also regularly sabotage the oil infrastructure in Nigeria, Africa's top crude producer.
Oil accounts for some 90 percent of OPEC-member Nigeria's foreign-exchange earnings.
Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and TASS
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
