Update: Reuters has reported that the Pantelena tanker that was missing for more than a week, then spotted in waters off the coast of Gabon, has now docked in Congo. All 19 crew are reported to be well and unharmed. The ship is suspected to have been hijacked, but no official statements have yet been released to confirm suspicions.
Central Africa’s regional maritime security centre has reported sighting of a Greek tanker that has not been heard from in more than a week.
In an interview with Africa News, Centre Regional de la Securite Maritime de l'Afrique Centrale (CRESMAC) deputy chief of operations Captain Goliele Ruddy said his organisation spotted the Panamanian-flagged Pantelena on Wednesday, 22 August, after the vessel disappeared from radar on 14 August off the coast of Gabon.
The previous sighting of the ship was 326 nautical miles south of Libreville, Gabon, on Wednesday 15 August. Captain Ruddy said patrol boats were scrambled in an attempt to intercept the tanker, but they soon lost the ship’s position.
“Unfortunately, we lost the signal,” Captain Ruddy said, “but it had probably changed course to end up [then] off the coast of [Congo].”
The vessel has 19 crew members onboard, 17 of them Georgian, according to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The ship Pantelena … sailing under a Panamanian flag with 17 Georgian sailors on board, has been missing since August 14. The ship was transporting oil. Contact with the lost ship was last established while it was sailing near the west coast of Africa, in Guinea Bay[sic],” a statement on the ministry’s website said.
The ministry’s statement went on to say Greek operator Lotus Shipping is carrying out an investigation in cooperation with the ministry, Georgia’s Maritime Transport Agency (MTA), Panama’s flag state authority, regional military forces in West Africa as well as UK’s maritime trade operations center UKMTO.
Lotus Shipping released a statement saying it was working to ensure the safety of the crew and acting on behalf of the vessel’s owners – Lobong Shipping Company, according to VesselsValue data.
Tanker Shipping and Trade has contacted Lotus Shipping and is awaiting futher update. The UKMTO are not currently offering comment on the matter.
The 10,800 dwt Pantelena is reportedly laden with 7,000 tonnes of oil. The last AIS signals from VesselTracker’s database date to 1900 UTC on 11 August and show the tanker off the coast of Lomé, Togo in the Gulf of Guinea.
Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region has increased in 2018. In January, pirates held the 12,000 dwt Barrett tanker and crew hostage, and in February, pirates held MR2 product tanker Marine Express and its 22 crew hostage.
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