Pirates kidnap 9 Pinoy seamen in Africa
MANILA, Philippines — Nine Filipino crew members of a Norwegian cargo ship were kidnapped by pirates in the West African nation of Benin last Saturday.
The shipping company J.J. Ugland, which owned the vessel MV Bonita, confirmed the abduction in a statement issued on Sunday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has so far not given any comment on the kidnapping incident.
According to news reports, the MV Bonita was anchored and waiting to dock at the Cotonou port to unload a shipment of gypsum early Saturday morning when the pirates boarded the ship.
After the abduction, the remaining crew members contacted local authorities. The ship docked at the Cotonou port later that day. —Dona Z. Pazzibugan