ISTANBUL, Aug 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Ten Turkish sailors on a cargo ship who
were kidnapped by “pirates” off the coast of Nigeria last month have been
freed, Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu reported Friday.
The sailors, who Anadolu says are in good health, were seized by armed men
who attacked the Turkish-flagged Paksoy-1 cargo vessel, operated by shipping
company Kadioglu Denizcilik.
No details were immediately available on the release of the captives.
A company statement cited by Turkish media last month said the ship was
attacked by “pirates” on its way from Cameroon to the Ivory Coast. It was
carrying no freight.
Pirates normally seize sailors for ransom. Nigeria reported 14 pirate
attacks in the first quarter of 2019 compared with 22 in the same period in
2018.
An International Maritime Bureau (IMB) report in April attributed the drop
to the Nigerian navy’s increased efforts to “actively respond to reported
incidents by dispatching patrol boats.”