Danish-owned tanker Monjasa Reformer has been attacked and potentially hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

The ship, which belongs to Danish oil trading company Monjasa, is currently located roughly 100 kilometres from the southerly coast of Cameroon.

The crew are hiding in a safe-room, while the pirates are still roaming the ship.

Communication breakdown
Communication systems on the vessel are currently down.

“We are working with the local authorities to establish communication with the vessel, to understand the situation on board and provide all the support the crew needs to overcome these terrible events,” writes Monjasa.

Five armed pirates attacked the Reformer on Sunday, although it is unknown whether they are still on board. It is also unknown whether the ship has been hijacked.

There are 16 crew members on the ship, although none of them are Danish citizens.

“It’s a terrible situation. All our thoughts are with the crew and their relatives during these hours,” Monjasa’s head office told Avisen Danmark.

Beware the Gulf of Guinea
While the number of pirating incidents has fallen over recent years, it is still quite common for ships to be attacked in these waters.

In 2022, just 19 attacks were reported, compared to 35 in 2021 and 84 in 2020.