Pirates kidnap 9 Georgian sailors from Panama-flagged tanker in Africa
Reportedly, four other Georgian sailors, who remained on the ship, face no threat now. Photo: RadioSvoboda.org/RFERL
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Pirates have kidnapped nine Georgian sailors from a Panama-flagged tanker in the waters of the African country of Nigeria.
The Georgian Maritime Transport Agency said the pirates have kidnapped a total of ten sailors including Georgian citizens on April 30.
The agency is maintaining communication with the ship-owner company. Reportedly, four other Georgian sailors remain safe on their ship.
The Georgian economy and foreign ministries, together with the agency, are working with the the ship-owner company to safely rescue the kidnapped Georgian sailors.
Four Georgian sailors who have been kidnapped by pirates from the Libyan-flagged tanker in the Nigerian city of Lagos in late February have returned to Georgia 15 days after being kidnapped.
Two Georgian sailors who were detained in Lybia in 2017 for illegally crossing the border and smuggling contraband fuel have been released, states the Georgian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimer Konstantinidi.
Georgian sailor Otar Vardidze, who was kidnapped with three foreign crew members by pirates from Greek-flagged tanker in the Africa’s Port of Lome, Togo Terminal on November 4 has been released today, Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.
Four sailors, including one Georgian citizen have been kidnapped by pirates from a Greek-flagged tanker in the Africa’s Port of Lome, Togo Terminal.
Nine Georgian sailors who have been kidnapped by pirates from a ship flying the Panamese flag in Nigeria have been released and will return to their homeland in several days. Tamar Ioseliani, head of the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia, said that a special flight will be carried out to bring the sailors back home.
Nine Georgian sailors who had been kidnapped by pirates from a ship sailing under the Panamese flag in Nigeria have returned to Georgia by a charter flight from Lagos to Tbilisi.