Jan 4 UPDATE: 24 crew includes 23 Russian and 1 Ukrainian seafarers. 7-9 pirates who boarded the ship, were armed with AK-47 and machetes, they ransacked the ship, robbed the crew and took 6 hostages with them when leaving the ship: Master; Chief Officer, 3 Officer, bosun, fitter and cook. Replacement of kidnapped crew is to take place at Cotonou Benin.
Jan 4: Container ship MSC MANDY was attacked by pirates at 0000 UTC Jan 2 in position 05 28N 002 21E, some 50 nm south of Cotonou, Benin, while en route from Lome Togo to Lagos Nigeria. 6 crew were kidnapped, the ship reached Lagos after attack and as of morning Jan 4 was at Lagos anchorage.
Container ship MSC MANDY, IMO 8918966, dwt 47120, capacity 2668 TEU, built 1993, flag Panama, operator MSC.
