The Russian tanker is captured in Guinea

In Guinea , armed people captured the Russian Tanker "Roegorsk" (port of the postscript - find) with 19 citizens of the Russian Federation on board 55 miles from the capital of Guinea Konakri, said the head of the seafood security department Vladimir Pestatelev.

According to him, on Tuesday early in the morning (5:00), ten armed people in black form of the National Marine forces of the Republic of Gwinea, climbing on board the ship located off the coast of Sierra Leone, told the captain that the tanker is in an alien economic zone. They demanded 20 thousand dollars from the captain, but he was able to give only 7 thousand dollars.

The signal of the incident was obtained through an alarm channels and then confirmed by the phone by the captain of the vessel. Information about this ITAR-TASS was confirmed in the rescue-coordination center of Vladivostok.

The invaders took control of the tank of the tanker, and threatening the crew with weapons, forced him to take the course to the port of Konakri (Guinea), Pestelev said. According to the incoming information, ten unknown people approached the ship in inflatable boats.

"Representatives of the official authorities of Guinea claim that the Russian ship violated the boundaries of the Sierra -Leone economic zone. The captain of the Russian vessel denies the fact of violation," he said.

- incidents involving Russian courts

The Russian Embassy in Konakri is currently not confirmed, but they do not refute reports about the capture of the Russian Tanker Ruegorsk off the coast of Guinea. “We cannot comment on this information yet,” an employee of the Russian diplomatic mission told Interfax on Tuesday.

Luchegorsk, owned by OJSC Primorsky Shipping Company, under the control of the people who captured it, was accompanied by the Guinean port of Konakri. Unknown seized the ship's magazine and passports of crew members. Tanker "Luchegorsk" is located in the freight of the Swiss company "Adhes". On board 20 people - 19 citizens of Russia and a translator - a citizen of China.

Now the ship is in this harbor. Three armed people remain on board. Communication with the crew is maintained on a mobile phone. The charterer hired a guard on the shore, which should protect the interests of the vessel. The Primorsky Shipping Company called the incident pirate action.

At the same time, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation confirmed the fact of the seizure of the Russian vessel "Luchegorsk", the press service of the ministry told Interfax. The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation sent an appeal to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a request to raise the Sierra-Leone authorities "The question of the release of Russian sailors and providing an official version of the reasons for the seizure."

The Russian consul has left for the port of Konakri, in the harbor of which is now the Russian ship. He finds out all the circumstances of the emergency on the spot, the Russian diplomatic representative said. Guinean media have not yet reported anything about what has happened.

Tankers of the Primorsky Shipping Company annually work off the coast of Africa, performing work on the bunkering of the fishing fleet in the Atlantic. Luchegorsk is a small vessel 97 meters long and 3086 tons Dedever. Typically, several tankers of the Primorsky Marine Shipping Company of the same class work in this area.

Incidents involving Russian courts

The incident with the Tanker "Luchegursk" is the second attack on the vessels of the Primorsky navigation off the coast of Africa. Recall, on May 22, the Shkotovo tanker , which was 60 miles from the Konakri port, also attacked two motor boats. Then 6 people, armed with automatic rifles and a grenade launcher, climbed aboard the tanker. They captured Coca and senior assistant captain and demanded money. After the captain gave them the entire ship cashier - 3 thousand dollars - the pirates left the tanker. None of the 20 Russian sailors suffered in the incident.

On April 10, 2005, 60 miles from the coast of Somalia, the one -wiring “Tim Bak”, which walked under the Cyprus flag (operational control - OJSC “Murmansk Marine Shipping Company”), became the victim of the coasts. Pirates fired at a ship from grenade launchers. A rescue boat caught fire. But the attackers could not get onto the ship. None of the crew members were injured.

On February 22, 2003, the Russian Tanner of the Primorsky Shipping Company, which was from the port of Yangbas (Saudi Arabia) to the port of Mombas (Kenya) with a load of gas on board on board, also subjected to the coast of Somali on February 22, 2003, also near the coast of Somali. The criminals fired at a tanker from machine guns and grenade launchers. One of the shells exploded on a ladder in the wardroom area. The tanker managed to get away from the pirate persecution, gaining speed.

On April 21, 2000, more than two dozen pirates attacked the Russian Forest-1 dry cargo ship of the Primorsky Marine Shipping Company, which stood on the raid of the Bangladesh port Chittagong. The attackers were armed with batons, metal rods and knives. The Russian team managed to fight off the pirates on their own.