Pirates attack US-flagged ship in Gulf of Guinea, kidnap crew members

The C-Retriever is a US-flagged offshore supply vessel owned & operated by Edison Chouest Offshore. Reports confirm that the vessel has been attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea and that the captain and the chief engineer have been kidnapped.

NIGERIA: During the early hours of 23 October, pirates attacked the U.S.-flagged offshore supply vessel C RETRIEVER near Brass and kidnapped the captain and chief engineer, both U.S. citizens.

Source: US Navy, Office of Naval Intelligence, Maritime OPINTEL Report.

C-Retriever (c. 2008)

Oh, foolish pirates! A US-flagged vessel? I think we all know how this ends.

OTDIH 19 Oct 1987 US Navy attacked Iranian oil platforms during Operation Nimble Archer

An Iranian oil platform set ablaze after shelling by American destroyers during Operation Nimble Archer, 19 Oct 1987.

Russian coast guard threatens use of force against Greenpeace vessel

The Greenpeace ice breaker Arctic Sunrise has been stopped by Russian border guard in the Kara Sea and has left the area following what Greenpeace claims were ‘threats to use force.”

Greenpeace is protesting an oil exploration joint venture between Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft and US oil giant ExxonMobil.

Ледокол Greenpeace, остановленный российскими пограничниками, уйдет из Карского моря

Москва. 26 августа. INTERFAX.RU – Ледокол Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise покидает Карское море, сообщила представитель российского отделения Гринпис Халимат Текеева.

“Такое решение было принято после того как российская береговая охрана пригрозила применить силу”, – сказала она.

http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=325358

4 confirmed dead in Shetland helicopter crash

The next time you complain about the cost of filling your tank, think on. People die to bring you the black gold.

RNLI lifeboats involved in rescue operation following North Sea helicopter crash

Volunteer lifeboat crew members from two Shetland lifeboat stations have spent the night involved in a multi-agency rescue operation after a helicopter crashed in the North Sea.

The RNLI lifeboats from Aith and Lerwick were both launched yesterday evening (23 August) at the request of the Coastguard, following reports that a helicopter had ditched into the sea west of Sumburgh airport on the Shetland Isles.

It is believed the helicopter, a Super Puma L2 helicopter, was carrying 16 passengers and two crew from the Borgsten Dolphin oil platform in the North Sea and was operated by CHC for Total, taking people to and from oil and gas platforms.

Both lifeboats made their way to the scene throughout the evening and assisted in the search for passengers with other agencies, including two rescue helicopters, a passenger ferry and a cargo vessel.

Whilst the lifeboats were still making their way to the scene, 14 people were rescued. Once on scene both lifeboats assisted in the search for four people that were unaccounted for.

Earlier today (Saturday 24 August) Police Scotland confirmed that three bodies had been recovered, two of which were recovered by Lerwick RNLI lifeboat and taken to a nearby pier. Work is now underway to recover the fourth deceased person.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: ‘Sadly the bodies of three people have been recovered in the aftermath of yesterday’s crash, and we know that agencies are working to recover the body of the fourth person. We can confirm that the RNLI lifeboat crew from Lerwick lifeboat station recovered two of those people. The lifeboat crew transported them to Sumburgh and we are liaising with other authorities as things develop.

‘Obviously this is the news that everyone, included our lifeboat volunteers, dreaded – our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those four people. We can also confirm that one of our lifeboats has also been involved in reclaiming wreckage from the scene as part of the operation.’

The wreckage of the helicopter had been situated in a fairly inaccessible position near cliffs, and weather conditions at the time was described as not particularly good. Lerwick RNLI lifeboat managed to tow the wreckage off rocks and it was being held in the shelter of a bay until a recovery operation could commence.

Media enquiries can be addressed to Police Scotland press office on 01224 306436.

Pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, July 2013

Source: Office of Naval Intelligence (unclassified)

19 July: The Vanuatu-flagged offshore supply vessel C Viking (2197 GT) was boarded at the Usari Oil Field off the coast of Nigeria. Pirates looted the vessel and destroyed equipment on the bridge before disembarking.

18 July: The United States-flagged bulk carrier Liberty Grace (28836 GT) experienced an attempted boarding attempt in the Lome anchorage area off the coast of Togo. The crew of the bulk carrier used a spotlight, fire hoses and flares to repel the boarding attempt. A patrol boat from the Togo Navy arrived after the incident.

16 July: The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Ocean Centurion (23328 GT) was hijacked at 05:29N – 001:38 E, approximately 46nm southeast of Lome, Togo. Armed pirates in 2 speed boats approached, boarded and hijacked the tanker while underway. They took hostage all the crew members, looted personal belongings, and ordered the Master to steer towards the Togo/Benin border. The pirates disembarked and escaped via speedboat, 12nm from the coastline. Two crew members were injured during the hijacking and were transferred ashore for medical treatment. A patrol boat from the Togo Navy arrived after the incident.

15 July: The Malta-flagged chemical tanker Cotton (23248 GT) was hijacked at 00:26 S – 008:51 E, approximately 13nm off Port Gentil, Gabon while underway. Approximately 25 gunmen armed with AK-47 assault rifles hijacked the tanker and took its crew hostage. The vessel was released, with all crew safe, on 22 July.

14 July: The Gabon-flagged landing craft Renovation (940 GT) was boarded while underway off Port Gentil, Gabon. Approximately 20 gunmen boarded the landing craft, looted the crew’s personal possessions and escaped.

10 July: An anchored chemical tanker experienced a suspicious approach at 06:17 N, – 003:21 E, approximately 5.4nm southwest of Fairway Buoy, Lagos. The tanker’s armed security team fired one warning shot when the small boat came within 50m of the vessel, causing the boat to depart the area.

7 July: Gunmen boarded a supply vessel at 04:24 N – 007:03 E, in the vicinity of the New Calabar River, Nigeria while the vessel was underway. The captain, chief engineer and a deckhand were reported to have been taken hostage.

5 July: An anchored bulk carrier was boarded at 06:26 N – 003:23 E at Lagos, Nigeria. Armed men were spotted by the boatswain who alerted the duty officer. The boatswain was wounded by gunfire before other crew members came to his assistance. The gunmen escaped by speedboat. The injured crew member was hospitalized for treatment.