The crew of a ForestWave general cargo vessel that were hijacked off Nigeria have been released, it has been confirmed.
The 11 men were seized from the 10,600-dwt FWN Rapide (built 2005) on 21 April as it prepared to enter Port Harcourt.
“The crew are currently on their way to be reunited with their loved ones,” the Dutch shipowner said in a statement.
The company added: "All crew have received medical checks and given the circumstances are in a relatively good condition.
"ForestWave would like to thank all the relevant authorities and advisors for their help in securing the release of our valued seafarers.
"Finally we would like to express our gratitude to our crew who have shown such great courage and professionalism under the extremely difficult circumstances of the past four weeks."
Two seafarers had remained on board when the other 11 were seized.
They moved FWN Rapide to a safe position.
A crewman believed kidnapped by Nigerian pirates was found hiding on the ship three days later.
News of their release comes just a couple of days after reports of a product tanker being target by pirates of Togo in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Seven pirates in a skiff came alongside the drifting vessel and tried to board via the poop deck,” according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
The incident happened shortly after midnight on 22 May, some 140 nautical miles south of the Togolese port of Lome.
“Alert duty crew spotted the pirates and raised the alarm resulting in the pirates aborting the boarding attempt and the skiff moving away,” the IMB said.
“The ship’s master reported a suspicious vessel in the vicinity from which the pirates could have approached his vessel.”
