Marine Services Provider Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO) revealed Sunday that the Pacific Warden Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel was attacked offshore Equatorial Guinea on November 20.

The attack occurred at approximately 05:00 local time, according to SPO, which said the vessel was supporting offshore field operations.

SPO noted that 15 crew members were on board at the time of the attack. Eight were said to be “safely ashore and unharmed” while the remaining seven were said to have been “taken by the attackers and are missing”.

“The safety of the people on board our vessel is always our top priority,” SPO said in a company statement.

“SPO will do everything possible to secure the safe and timely return of the missing crew members, in coordination with their families and relevant authorities,” the company added.

On May 7, maritime services provider Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. revealed that the heavy transport vessel Blue Marlin had been hijacked approximately 80 nautical miles offshore Equatorial Guinea on May 5.

According to a Boskalis statement on May 7, the “violent hijacking” was ended and the crew was safely freed “through the professional response of the crew and the coordinated support from the navy of Equatorial Guinea and Spain”.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com