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Update: A maritime security alert has been issued for the Gulf of Guinea after a drifting product tanker was reportedly hijacked around 82NM south of Cotonou at 1402 local time on 9 February.
The vessel’s last reported position was 04:57.7N – 002:16.7E; contact has been lost and its current position is unclear.
It is likely that the vessel will be held for a period of up to ten days as the hijackers attempt to offload cargo.
Operators are advised to exercise caution in the region where offshore attacks are on the increase. Piracy attacks up to, and possibly over, 100NM from the West African coast should be expected over the coming weeks.
