Armed Pirates Storm Cargo Ship in Gulf of Guinea – What Happened

A cargo ship was boarded by an armed gang in the Gulf of Guinea, marking yet another piracy attack in the region.

The Portugal-flagged JSP VENTO was targeted while sailing 60 nautical miles off Equatorial Guinea.

At 21:35 local time, three armed men boarded the vessel. The crew immediately raised the alarm, mustered in the citadel, and sent a distress call for help.

Within ten minutes, the attackers fled, escaping via the port side. A small boat was spotted trailing the cargo ship for 45 minutes before disappearing into the night.

Fortunately, no crew members were harmed, and nothing was stolen. But this is the fourth such boarding attempt in the region in just 90 days.

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is rising again. 11 of the 23 reported attacks in the last year have occurred in just the past three months.

Experts believe a Pirate Action Group (PAG) is shifting its attacks to avoid anti-piracy patrols near Nigeria, targeting vessels in Equatorial Guinea and nearby waters.

The Gulf of Guinea remains a high-risk zone. Ships are now advised to enhance security measures and consider deploying armed teams to prevent future attacks.