Just two days after armed gunmen seized a Greek oil tanker along with its 20 crewmembers off the coast of Benin in Nigeria, Greek shipping company Endeavor Marine Agency’s spokesman claimed that the pirates have released the vessel and its crew, Allheadlinenews reports.
The spokesman added that the crewmen, including the Greek captain and two Greek mechanics, are safe and in good health.
In a press release earluer, the Greek Citizen Protection Ministry had said that 10 men attacked the Greek shipping company Endeavor Marine Agency’s Liberian-flagged "Aegean Star" on the weekend, while it was transporting oil between Ghana and Benin, 30 nautical miles off Nigeria's coasts.
Amid rising piracy issues in past three years, the international anti-piracy task forces have been deployed in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somalia coast to protect merchant ships from pirates. However, pirates still hold several ships with hundreds of hostages.
The spokesman added that the crewmen, including the Greek captain and two Greek mechanics, are safe and in good health.
In a press release earluer, the Greek Citizen Protection Ministry had said that 10 men attacked the Greek shipping company Endeavor Marine Agency’s Liberian-flagged "Aegean Star" on the weekend, while it was transporting oil between Ghana and Benin, 30 nautical miles off Nigeria's coasts.
Amid rising piracy issues in past three years, the international anti-piracy task forces have been deployed in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somalia coast to protect merchant ships from pirates. However, pirates still hold several ships with hundreds of hostages.