An Indian seafarer has spoken of the shock he and his colleagues felt during a violent pirate attack on a platform supply vessel (PSV) in Gabon.

The 4,345-dwt Tampen (built 2002) was boarded by four armed men on 5 September at the Owendo anchorage off Libreville.

Two crew members, chief officer Vikas Nauriyal and chief cook Sunil Ghosh, suffered gunshot wounds and a third, 31-year-old officer Pankaj Kumar, was reported missing.

Deepak Udayaraj, the vessel's second officer, told the Manorama news publication that the raid began just after midnight when the assailants used an aluminium ladder to gain access to the deck.

They captured seafarer Saifan Saddique and asked where the duty officer was.

"I was the duty officer that time," said Udayaraj. "Saifan showed his finger to the right side though I was on the other side. It was done to misdirect the pirates."

The gang released Saddique, who came to Udayaraj and whispered to him about what was going on.

In shock

"Both of us were shocked and we didn't know what to do. The shootout and all other related events is still unbelievable. Even after two days, I am not able to come out of the trauma," Deepak said.

He revealed that he then saw the gang moving towards Kumar, Nauriyal and Ghosh.

Ghosh began to be dragged away by the pirates, but started shouting.

"Enraged by this, one of the gang members shot Sunil on his leg," said Udayaraj, who was later told by Ghosh and Nauriyal that Kumar was thrown into a waiting boat.

There has been no news of his whereabouts.

As Ghosh and Nauriyal tried to escape, they were shot two or three times, the second officer said.

On the road to recovery

Piracy attacks have fallen in the Gulf of Guinea this year. Photo: International Register of Shipping

Both men are now recovering, he added

The remaining crew of 16 alerted the port authorities and gave first aid.

Medical help came five hours later, Udayaraj claimed.

"All facilities were available just five miles away, but the help came late. We handed over to the inquiry team the mobile phones and sunglasses of pirates," he said.

Even now, the crew does not feel safe at the anchorage.

The second officer said two guards men were posted to the vessel by local authorities.

"These security men have only one knife and an old gun, whereas the pirates are equipped with AK-47 guns. What would happen if there is another attack? Only God knows," he added.

The PSV was sailing from Cameroon to the United Arab Emirates when it developed propulsion problems and had to stop at Owendo anchorage.

The former Bourbon Maritime vessel is owned by Prince Marine Transport Services of India, which acquired it in January.

Maritime security company Dryad Global said the incident was the second within Gabonese waters in 2021 and the first reported kidnapping in that period.

"Indeed, region-wide, this latest incident would be the first offshore kidnapping incident reported throughout the wider region since 31 May 2021," Dryad added.