'Aegean Star,' Greek Oil Tanker, Seized By Pirates Off Coast Of Benin [UPDATED]

ATHENS, July 18 (Reuters) - Pirates released a Greek-owned, Liberia-flagged tanker they had seized on Saturday 12.5 miles off the coast of Benin, and all the crew were safe, the vessel's manager said on Monday.

The 11,520 deadweight tonnage vessel Aegean Star, which was sailing from Ghana to Benin with 20 crew members, was one of two tankers captured last weekend.

Piracy is on the rise in the Gulf of Guinea, although it is not on the scale seen off Somalia, where armed sea-borne gangs are making millions of dollars in ransoms and are becoming increasingly violent.

"At approximately 2000 Greek time (1700 GMT), the pirates that had captured the oil products tanker Aegean Star left the vessel and command was resumed by the master," the managing company Aegean Bunkering Services Inc said in a statement.

The company said it was investigating whether a cargo of 8,300 metric tonnes of fuel oil and 1,500 metric tonnes of gas oil had been damaged.

The vessel was sailing to Ghana, it said.

Analysts say an increase in scope and number of attacks in a region ill-equipped to counter the threat could affect shipping and investment.

Piracy off Somalia is also of major concern. On Sunday, Somali pirates seized a United Arab Emirates owned and flagged oil tanker, the MV Jubba XX, with a crew of 16 people, the European Union's naval force said on Monday.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Additional reporting by Mohamed Ahmed; Editing by Jon Boyle)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[Mr Crabs]

11:13 AM on 07/19/2011

I'm surprised there aren't mercenary contractors lining up to protect these ships for a modest fee. Surely Blackwater/Xe services would be drooling at the opportunity.

[nick 5228]

09:49 AM on 07/19/2011

When is this piracy nonsense going to end? Here's an idea - hire a private security force of six armed men from the port to its arrival. Armed to the teeth, ex- SAS, Navy Seals, Special forces probably cost $150,000 for the trip, weapons, etc. HOPE the pirates attack then destroy their vessel and kill the crew. The cost of protection is added to the inventory and no more ships get hijacked. This, to me, seems a lot cheaper than hoping for safety as opposed to getting caught and paying a million bucks to outlaws. Piracy is joke.

[holyghostie]

07:15 AM on 07/19/2011

The International Law of the Seas for piracy is hanging...after a military tribunal. Lets get it done.

[nappyman]

06:57 AM on 07/19/2011

What happened? They realized the greeks were broke?

[YankeeCanuck]

05:25 AM on 07/19/2011

Weaponry and ordinance dropped on civilian populations on shore--especially nukes--are suggestions of sick freakos.Or, subhumans if you prefer.

[brutha]

05:06 AM on 07/19/2011

I think all these ships under the flag of Liberia or Antigua and Barbeidos should ask the countries for help instead of the USA or the EU. They avoid taxes and laws and so we should avoid rescuing them.

[acommonsense]

07:13 PM on 07/18/2011

Why doesn't Obama meet with the pirates and explain they could be wrong.

[GraphicMatt]

11:46 AM on 07/19/2011

Why would he? Is there a central leadership representing the pirates to even meet with or are you just talking out of your behind?

[dmarrs7077]

06:52 PM on 07/18/2011

im having a hard time with this , the shipping industry needs mercenaries until all pirates are dead if they see a boat out there that looks hostile blow it out of the water kill them all, they could wipe them all out in less than a year

[brawnydoc]

06:51 PM on 07/18/2011

Put a .50 caliber M2 machine gun on each ship

[MMRDO]

10:32 PM on 07/18/2011

Slow down there, you can't use a radio on a lot of the decks of these tankers, let alone a firearm, not to mention that'll drive the insurance through the roof. On top of that we lose the right of innocent passage.

[Craig Meyer]

06:20 PM on 07/18/2011

I like what the Russians did a few months ago, they captured a pirate boat, one of the mother ships, handcuffed everyone to the ship except two and sunk it. The two they let go so they could go home and tell everyone to not touch a Russian ship.

[Mohamed Yassin]

06:16 PM on 07/18/2011

Half of the comments on this post is that of a new born baby chimp, blah blah blah.. Now this problem will only be solved if and only if the international community take a cohesive effort to find a solution for Somalia as a whole. When men are hungry and unable to feed their family they go to great and often shameful lengths to survive.

[YankeeCanuck]

05:22 AM on 07/19/2011

A newborn chimp is at least cute!

[nick 5228]

09:53 AM on 07/19/2011

Yea - don't forget the hugs, kisses and Starbucks. The pirates don't starve - they THRIVE. Here's the solution - give them 24 hours notice then bomb the ports and all the vessels in the surrounding area after only six hours.

[weedo9]

06:09 PM on 07/18/2011

I Say the hell with them if they don't want to do anything to protect their ships let them pay the ransom.

[MMRDO]

10:34 PM on 07/18/2011

It is a lot cheaper to just pay the ransom.

[lillianpgonzales]

05:57 PM on 07/18/2011

They need to do like the russians. They use them pirates as target practice. I seen one video when they let everybody shoot at them with machine guns .And when the pirates were in the water they were throwing granades as far as they could. and just watching them get blown up in pieces.the others that they did let live they just watched the sharks eat them. its was great. im startingto really like russians more and more they get balls and they dont care what everybody else thinks of them. kind of like we use to do in the usa. thats what you do to them.

[wllharrington]

06:34 PM on 07/18/2011

You must not talk like that. The bleeding heart liberals will be all upset that you did not allow these poor, misunderstood people who were abused as chidren were not given the opportunity to be rehabilitated. Also the ACLU won't be able to defend them and then sue the government for cruelty and inhumane treatment.

[jo smith456]

05:35 PM on 07/18/2011

Burn the pirates.

[dew1500]

05:26 PM on 07/18/2011

As I understand it you can't come to port with a crew carrying guns. I think these boats should have about 12 armed men in addition to the crew. 6 to keep watch at all times working in shifts. They should have automatic weapons. There should also be mounted weapons and hand held rocket launchers. All of this could be locked in a vault when coming into port and removed from the vault as they hit international waters. Pirates should be destroyed when ever they attack. Like rats you can't reward them or just set them free. They come back. If you have to pay them use counterfeit money with a homing device. Get your ship and crew back and send a missal straight to the money.

[uwilnotgtridofme]

06:03 PM on 07/18/2011

I agree except I don't think the guns should be dismounted and locked up . With rotating crew members they could have 50 cal machine guns mounted and manned 24/7. And the crew members should have side arms on them at all times .

[brawnydoc]

06:57 PM on 07/18/2011

yes

[MMRDO]

10:36 PM on 07/18/2011

No only the master carries, there are rules in this industry.

[MMRDO]

10:35 PM on 07/18/2011

So how long have you worked in commercial shipping? This is a business not a Rambo movie, it is cheaper to just pay for your officers back on top of other reasons to not carry weapons.