Attempted Boarding – 114nm SE Of Tema, Ghana
28 August 2020
Attempted Boarding on APL Container Vessel- Lome Anchorage
1 September 2020
UKMTO & DYRAD Reports indicates that a fishing vessel has been boarded approximately 95 nm south of Lome, and appears to be hijacked.
WARNING 001/AUG/2020 – UPDATE 1
1. CATEGORY: HIJACK
2. TIME: 28 AUG 2020 at 0735UTC.
3. DESCRIPTION: FV vessel suspected to have been hijacked and currently heading eastwards. Last reported position 04°40′ N, 001°29′E on 28 AUG 20 at 1556 UTC, heading North West. Hijackers have left the vessel. Vessel is safe. Local authorities are responding.
4. POSITION: 04°40′ N, 001°29′E (approximately 110NM South East of Tema, Ghana).
WARNING 001/AUG/2020
1. CATEGORY: HIJACK
2. TIME: 28 AUG 2020 0735UTC.
3. DESCRIPTION: MDAT GoG have received reports of a FV being attacked at approximately 0735 UTC on 28 August 2020. The vessel is suspected to have been hijacked and currently heading eastwards. Last reported position 04°29′ N, 001°45′E the 28 AUG 20 at 1346 UTC, heading South-East.
Local authorities have been notified and are responding.
4. POSITION: 04°34’15”N 001°31’07”E (approximately 110 nautical miles Southeast of Tema, Ghana).
Incidents of this type targeting fishing vessels in the Gulf of Guinea are not uncommon, and are largely opportunistic in nature. Fishing vessels pose an opportune target due to their lack of BMP-5 measures, and in such a case the motivation in hijacking such a vessel is likely to be purely criminal instead of necessarily piratical.
Commercial vessels are reminded to remain vigilant within this area, however such a hijacking does not necessarily suggest a capability of such groups to approach and/or board much larger vessels.
