December 1 According to a European Union News Agency quoted by the European Network, the tanker STELIOS K from Greece was hijacked by pirates in Nigerian waters recently, and one captain and two crew members have been taken hostage.
The hijacking reportedly occurred on November 16, when the Togolese-flagged tanker STELIOS K was hijacked 115 nautical miles from the city of Lomé. According to the source, two of the crew members successfully escaped and arrived at the port of Lagos, Nigeria. However, a captain and two crew members, three Greeks, were still detained by pirates.
The Greek Ministry of Maritime Transport and Island Policy said on November 29 that the Greek hostages taken are in good health.
The Greek Merchant Mariners Association said that the purpose of kidnapping the crew was to extort the ransom, and the families of the crew were very anxious and asked the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform their families of the latest situation of the negotiations in a timely manner. The Greek Merchant Mariners Association also asked the Greek authorities to take effective measures in the future to better protect shipping personnel from such incidents.
The Greek government said that the authorities are negotiating with pirates to release the hostages.
