Pirates attack Norwegian ship off Benin coast , 9 kidnapped

Nine crew members of the Norwegian owned vessel MV Bonita were kidnapped weekend by pirates while the ship was anchored off the coast of Benin Republic.

J.J. Ugland, the owner of the ship announced the kidnap in a statement on Sunday.

The remaining crew on the vessel notified local authorities, and the vessel docked at the port city of Cotonou later on Saturday, the company said.

“The Ugland Emergency Response Team are handling this situation as per contingency plans, and they are in contact with relevant authorities. … The families of the crew members have been contacted and will be kept informed by Ugland,” it said in a statement.

“Further updates will be given as and when new confirmed information is available and releasable.”