Russian oil tanker and 24 crew members were captured by pirates.

A diesel tanker flying the Isle of Man flag was hijacked while anchored 17 nautical miles off the coast of Lome, the capital of Togo.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported yesterday (August 28) that pirates hijacked the Greek oil tanker Energy Centurion and its 24 Russian crew members off the coast of Togo.

Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Organization's Piracy Information Centre, said the diesel tanker, flying the Isle of Man flag, was hijacked while anchored 17 nautical miles off the coast of Lome, Togo. According to Choong, pirates in this area typically hold ships for four to five days, searching and stealing cargo, usually oil and gas.

Togolese officials said the pirates fled toward neighboring Benin after the Togolese Navy intervened following a distress signal from the vessel. An official from Golden Energy Management, the Athens-based operator of the ship, stated that the vessel remains in pirate hands and there has been no contact with the crew.

The official stated: "This area is not like the waters off Somalia. They are not pirates demanding ransom, but rather thieves seeking control of ships to steal cargo. Therefore, we hope this ship will be released quickly once the oil it was carrying has been siphoned off."

According to VNA - DT