Nigeria: Pirates Kidnap 3 Sailors Off Coast

Pirates off the coast of Nigeria and Cameroon attacked a ship and kidnapped three sailors, including two Russians, in the latest assault on shippers in the increasingly dangerous waters of the Gulf of Guinea, officials said Friday. A statement from the company that owns the ship, Carisbrooke Shipping, said piratesboarded the ship late Thursday night and stole the sailors’ personal belongings before leaving with the three sailors. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has escalated from low-level armed robberies to hijackings and cargo thefts. The attacks also have begun to stretch beyond the waters immediately near Nigeria. On Sunday, a gang of pirates seized control of a French-owned oil tanker off Ivory Coast, kidnapping the 17 sailors on board. The pirates released the ship and its sailors a few days later after most likely stealing the diesel fuel the ship had on board.