ACCRA, GHANA: Pirates kidnapped four Koreans and one Filipino crew member from a tuna-fishing vessel close to Benin in the Gulf of Guinea earlier this week, Ghanaian police said. The Gulf of Guinea, a key shipping route extending from Senegal to Angola, accounted for the vast majority of maritime crew abductions last year, with pirates targeting commercial vessels. "Efforts are under way to rescue the abducted crew members," he said. "Information we've gathered from the crew members indicate that the pirates took away five other members made up of four Koreans and a Filipino." Armed pirates kidnapped five other seamen two weeks ago, stealing valuables after holding the crew for six hours before releasing them, he said.

Source: Manila Times June 03, 2021 10:27 UTC