Tanker Thwarts Pirate Attack off Nigeria

US Navy The string of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea continues as pirates attempted to board a tanker earlier today while underway some 36 nautical miles south west of Bayelsa coast, Nigeria. Specifically, a group of armed pirates in a speedboat chased and fired upon a tanker underway, the Maritime Trade and Information Sharing Centre for the Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG) informed. However, as the ship employed anti piracy maneuvers and due to the presence of Navy Personnel onboard the attack was aborted. The ships crew is reported to be safe and unharmed. The name of the ship has not been disclosed. The attempted attack follows that from Wednesday, according to MTISC-GoG, when armed guards onboard a vessel underway some 60 autical miles south west of Brass, Nigeria opened fire on a speedboat approaching the vessel. The warning shots are said to have prevented the pirates from boarding, forcing them to quit the attack. The vessel was last said to be proceeding to its destination, with its crew accounted for and unharmed. World Maritime News Staff