Eagle Bulk Shipping is celebrating the safe return of three seafarers who were kidnapped three weeks ago off of Gabon.
TradeWinds has reported that the captain, first mate and second mate were abducted 2 May in an attack on the Stamford-based shipowner’s 58,000-dwt Glebe Bulker (built 2010), which took place 4.7 nautical miles (9.7 km) off the Owendo anchorage..
“We want to commend our three colleagues for the strength and fortitude they have shown during the ordeal over the past 18 days,” said chief executive Gary Vogel in a prepared statement on Sunday.
“We would also like to especially thank their families for their resilience and patience during this extremely trying time.”
Vogel said Eagle has worked closely with relevant authorities and its professional advisors since the incident, “all of whom helped to resolve this situation”.
Eagle declined to identify the crew members or discuss further details, saying it was acting out of concern for their privacy and safety.
The three are receiving medical exams, then will be repatriated and reunited with family and friends “in a few days”. Eagle said.
Eagle owns 52 vessels, including 22 supramaxes and 30 ultramaxes.
The Eagle abduction was part of a string attacks in West Africa, which was considered the world’s global piracy hot spot before incidents fell off in mid-2021.
The first was an attack off Republic of the Congo on the 13,700-dwt Monjasa Reformer (built 2003) on 25 March. Six seafarers taken in that incident were safely recovered earlier this month, according to the marine fuels trader and shipowner.
The ship, with 16 crew members on board, was missing for several days until it was spotted by the French Navy off Sao Tome & Principe on 30 March.
Monjasa said the pirates had left 10 crew members and brought the other six to Nigeria.
The attack on the product tanker was followed by a second incident, when Hai Soon Diesel & Trading’s 6,100-dwt Success 9 (built 2003) was boarded 556 km off Ivory Coast on 10 April.
The ship was missing for six days, but the crew was ultimately safe.
