The Norwegian cargo ship "MV Bonita" of the JJ Ugland shipping company has been captured by pirates off the coast of West Africa. The ship had anchored off Benin when nine crew members were kidnapped, the company said on Sunday.
The remaining crew of the MV Bonita informed the local authorities and the ship docked in the port city of Cotonou. "We treat the situation according to the emergency plans and are in contact with the competent authorities," it said in the statement of the shipping company. The families of the crew members had been contacted and would continue to be informed about all developments.
The ship had reportedly loaded gypsum intended for Benin.
Hostage-taking to blackmail ransom is widespread in parts of West Africa. In August, for example, eight crew members were abducted from Cameroon by a German shipping company. And before Nigeria, it hit ten Turkish sailors in July.