The Bazalt-Ii: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

In a heartening turn of events, seven crew members who were taken hostage during an attack on the 'Pacific Warden' on November 20 have been freed and are now back with their families just in time for the Christmas season. The incident occurred while the vessel was engaged in critical support for ExxonMobil at the Zafiro oil field, located off the coast of Equatorial Guinea. At the time of the attack, 15 crew members were aboard, including individuals from South Africa, Cameroon, Serbia, and the Philippines. Fortunately, the remaining eight crew members escaped unscathed and were promptly escorted to safety following the escalation. After enduring 31 days in captivity, the released crew were greeted by senior officials from SPO upon their return. Medical examinations and other necessary support measures were immediately put in place to aid the crew’s transition back to normalcy. The 'Pacific Warden' was actively involved in offshore field operations for ExxonMobil and had departed Zafiro, positioned 12 nautical miles from the coast, heading towards Luba, a key port on the southern island of Bioko, when the vessel came under attack.

In a harrowing incident, the 'Pacific Warden' fell victim to a pirate attack on November 20, 2019, at 04:20 a.m. The attack occurred in the Gulf of Guinea, specifically at coordinates 03 46N 008 14E, approximately 35 miles west of Malabo. From the 15 crew members aboard, seven were taken hostage, while the remaining eight successfully concealed themselves within the ship’s compartments, evading capture. The crew consisted of diverse nationalities, including South Africans, Cameroonians, Filipinos, and Serbians. Following the incident, the vessel was relocated to Malabo, where it has remained as of November 22, 2019.