A Ghanaian military spokesman reported on Sunday that a Greek oil tanker that disappeared in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have moved from Ghanaian to Togolese waters.
“The vessel is not in our waters,” Eric Aggrey-Quashie told Agence France Presse. “It’s gone off and they suspect it’s moving towards Togo. The navy is trying to get confirmation from Togo if they have identified any vessel in the waters,” he added.
The owner company, Greek shipping firm Fairdeal S.A., said it lost contact with the Liberia-flagged MT Fair Artemis on Thursday, when it was sailing in waters off the coast of Ghana. The ship has 24 crew members on board and a cargo of fuel oil.
The waters of west Africa’s Gulf of Guinea is considered one of the world’s most dangerous. According to the International Maritime Bureau, in 2013, 19% of all piracy incidents worldwide occurred in the area.
The majority of the incidents in the region come from Nigeria’s southern Niger Delta, where indigenous groups are claiming a greater share of the country’s oil wealth. Niger Delta pirates are targeting vessels to steal valuable cargo such as oil.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
