Bulk carrier LYCAVITOS was reported, attacked by pirates early in the morning of Sep 5. The ship is anchored at Owendo anchorage, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea. No other information is available, the ship’s ID is not yet confirmed. LYCAVITOS arrived at Owendo (Libreville) anchorage on Sep 4 from Warri, Nigeria.
Marine Traffic reported that the Bulk Carrier LYCAVITOS is currently located at WAFR – the Gulf of Guinea at position 5° 36′ 16.488″ N, 5° 17′ 26.718″ E as reported by MarineTraffic Terrestrial Automatic Identification System on 2021-09-01 15:07 UTC (4 days, 7 hours ago)
New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/
The threat is real and persistent. Gulf of Guinea piracy has evolved from near-shore robbery to open sea piracy and the violent kidnapping of crew members for ransom. In 2020, 136 seafarers were abducted at gunpoint, held for weeks and months, suffering a serious injury to their physical and mental wellbeing. This year, we are seeing an even steeper increase in the frequency and ruthlessness of the attacks unleashed on shipping.
It is time that this hidden humanitarian tragedy is brought into the open and gets the attention it deserves. The pirates in the Gulf of Guinea have high levels of resolve, weaponry, and fighting skills. Vessels that go into the area adhere to best practices, keeping lookouts, speeding up, mounting fire hoses for protection, and training to handle an attack. Some also take on armed guards. But even that isn’t stopping the pirates, who won’t hesitate to engage in full-on firefights.
