The Indian government has begun talks to free 18 of its seafarers abducted from a Navios Maritime Acquisition VLCC off Nigeria.

The Indian nationals and one Turkish man were kidnapped from the 297,000-dwt Nave Constellation (built 2010) 143km off Bonny on 3 December.

The Mumbai Mirror cited the father of the vessel's chief officer, a Mumbai resident, as saying India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) is negotiating with the pirates.

He was quoted as saying: "We got a phone call this morning asking for his wife's phone number. We are really worried."

The officer's father has been speaking to MEA officials to assist in talks.

Talks confirmed

He said representatives from manager Anglo-Eastern called at his house, warning him not to answer calls from the pirate group.

A senior government officer confirmed talks, while a naval official said anti-piracy work will have to be beefed up in the region as kidnappings increase in range and scale.

The Hong Kong-flagged tanker had left Bonny Offshore Terminal fully laden when it was boarded by armed men late in the night.

The ship and its cargo were not damaged.

Pirate groups in West Africa are now known to have 32 seafarers in captivity following incidents in the last month.

In November, armed assailants abducted four crew members from a tanker in a piracy incident off Togo.

The attack occurred in the early morning of 4 November on the 94,100-dwt Elka Aristotle (built 2003), Greek coastguards said.

Four members of the vessel’s crew of 24 onboard were kidnapped: two Filipinos, one Greek and one Georgian. The coastguards did not clarify their rank or provide further details on the incident.

Before that, pirates abducted nine crew from a JJ Ugland bulker off Benin, a country neighbouring Togo.

The Norwegian shipowner said the 58,105-dwt Bonita (built 2010) was boarded off the port of Cotonou.