The Gaz-Providence: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On October 16, 2021, in the early hours of the morning, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) of the Greek Coast Guard alerted the Port Authorities of Nafplio, Spetses, Astros, and Leonidi about a distressing case: a 30-year-old fisherman and his boat had gone missing near Fokianou in Leonidio. In response, a coordinated search effort was launched, involving a patrol boat, two private vessels, and two merchant ships. The search proved successful when the tanker 'Gaz Prividence' located the missing boat. Subsequently, the fishing vessel was towed to safety by the 'Christos Nikolas' and brought to a fish farm, where the fisherman was safely disembarked.

On February 8, 2017, the Nigerian Navy successfully thwarted two separate piracy attempts targeted at oil tankers in the Atlantic region of Nigeria, rescuing a total of 21 crew members in the process. The first incident involved the tanker 'Gaz Providence,' which had been seized by pirates near Bonny Island just one day prior. Navy personnel, responding to a distress call, swiftly mobilized the NNS 'Okpabana' to the location, arriving at 7:36 p.m. (position 03-31N 007-04E). Upon boarding the tanker, they conducted an investigation into the attempted hijacking and were able to free all 21 crew members. In a second incident, the Nigerian Navy's 'Victory' vessel intervened to protect another tanker, the 'Rio Spirit.' Having just loaded cargo from Exxon Mobil Corp.'s Qua Iboe Terminal, the 'Rio Spirit' was targeted by pirates approximately 110 nautical miles south of Akassa in Delta State. Despite the initial attack, which the Nigerian Navy repelled, the pirates attempted a second hijack around 30 minutes later, only to be thwarted again by their swift response. Ultimately, the Nigerian Navy secured a safe escort for the 'Rio Spirit,' allowing it to continue its voyage without further incident. This operation underscores the Nigerian Navy's commitment to maintaining maritime security in the region.