A De Poli vessel experienced a pirate attack on 11 March, around 210 nautical miles from the city of Cotonou, Benin. Fifteen crew members were kidnapped in the said incident, while six others remained on board the vessel that was escorted to a safe dock at a nearby port. The Dutch company earlier told Sputnik that most of the kidnapped seafarers are citizens of the Philippines, there are also citizens of the Baltic States, and a Russian among them.
"De Poli Shipmanagement report that contact has been established with crew members of its chemical tanker Davide B who were taken hostage in the Gulf of Guinea on 11 March. The company can confirm that all fifteen seafarers are together and doing well under the difficult circumstances", Radings said.
The news has been conveyed to the next of kin of the crew, the spokesman added.
"De Poli Shipmanagement will not provide any further information on the dialogue with those holding our seafarers in order not to jeopardise the safety of our seafarers and would ask that this position to be respected", Radings continued.