There have been more seamen kidnapped by pirates this week.
The seamen; two Filipino, one Greek and one Georgian were taken off the Greek flagged vessel the Elka Aristotle off the coast of Togo, a West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea.
According to a report in the Manila Standard armed guards climbed aboard the Greek tanker and tried to fend off the pirates but one of the guards was wounded.
Last week, a similar abduction took place when pirates boarded the Norwegian-flagged M/V Bonita and abducted nine of its Filipino crew members.
Filipino seamen make up 20% of the world’s seafarers so are especially vulnerable to this type of crime.
Both the Philippine and Greek governments are closely monitoring developments.
Image: Greek City Times
MaritimeSafetyandSecurity.com 