What Crew Members Say About Amarya

The oil tanker 'Maria E', targeted by pirates in the waters southwest of Bonny on February 9, successfully docked in Malabo on February 11 at 4:30 PM. In a dramatic turn of events, the crew of 15 sought refuge in the ship's citadel during the hijacking, taking control of the vessel remotely after the attack occurred at coordinates 01°35'N, 005°07'E. Despite facing a harrowing situation, the team displayed remarkable bravery and navigational skills that enabled them to steer the ship to safety.

On February 9, 2021, at precisely 12:22 p.m. UTC, the tanker 'Maria E' was under siege as it navigated the waters northwest of Sao Tome and Principe in the Bight of Benin. Reports indicate that the assailants may have originated from the 'Lianpengyu 809,' a fishing trawler registered in Gabon and believed to be linked to Chinese ownership. This trawler was captured earlier that week and is suspected to have been repurposed into a mother ship for pirate operations. The boarding incident occurred at coordinates 01° 35'N 005° 07'E, while the 'Maria E' was on its voyage from Lome. Notably, the vessel's Automatic Identification System (AIS) was disabled after its departure from Lome on February 8, rendering it invisible to maritime tracking systems.