Pirates seize crew members in multiple attacks off West and Central Africa

Pirates have abandoned a Danish-owned ship hijacked in the Gulf of Guinea last week but have taken some crew members with them while others have been brought to safety. The Liberian-flagged oil and chemicals tanker Monjasa Reformer was boarded on Saturday by five armed people 225km (140 miles) west of the Republic of Congo’s Port Pointe-Noire. The rescued crew members are all in good health, and no damage was reported to the ship or its cargo. The Gulf of Guinea is one of the world’s most dangerous shipping routes, covering 11,000sq km (4,247sq miles) and stretching from Angola to Senegal.