A Maersk box ship has fallen victim to a pirate attack on November 19, 2016, off the coast of Bonny, Nigeria.
The Singapore-flagged Maersk Contonou, en route to Walvis Bay, narrowly avoided being boarded by the eight armed men, who approached the ship on a speedboat, thanks to their own quick manoeuvring and the help of open fire by the Navy.
An offshore oil vessel had also been attacked on the same day; the local authorities believe it is the same culprits in both incidents.
This incident comes after Xinhua reported that a UN official had stated piracy off the coast of Somalia is still a serious threat, despite the decrease in incidents and success in countering it.
Andrew McLaughlin, the Program Officer in charge of Global Maritime Security at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said: “Piracy in Somalia has not been defeated but only countered. The threat can recur since the security and economic situation in Somalia remains dire.
“Push factors like high youth unemployment should be addressed to boost anti-piracy operation in Somalia. Strengthening the rule of law is crucial to eliminate this menace.”
On November 14, 2016, PTI reported that an unnamed general cargo vessel was attacked and boarded by gunmen on the other side of the world, off the coast of the Basiland Island, Philippines.
