British Cargo Ship Attacked by Pirates in Gulf of Guinea, 3 Taken Hostage

A British-owned cargo ship has been attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea. Three crewmembers have been taken hostage.

The UK-flagged ESTHER C was boarded by pirates yesterday. The assailants took some valuables from the vessel, and fled with the three hostages.

Carisbrooke Shipping, the owner of ESTHER C, confirmed that the nine (9) remaining crewmen are safe and the ship has continued on its route.

According to Reuters, Russia's foreign ministry stated that two of its citizens were among the hostages taken between the Cameroonian port of Douala and the port of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

Attacks on cargo ships in the area have been on the decline, as oil tankers seem to be the new target.

Photo Credit: http://www.marinetraffic.com [Taken by Hans Hausmann]