With pirate activity continuing in West African waters, a combined operation by the Navies of Sierra Leone and Liberia has resulted in a positive outcome with the recovery of a hijacked fishing vessel and its crew rescued.
The initial alert came from the Sierra Leone Navy Joint Maritime Operation Center of fishing vessels Aliman and Shenghai-2 being attacked by pirates off the coast of Sierra Leone, with the attackers taking control of Shenghai-2.
The Liberia Coast Guard Maritime Operation Center immediately commence continuous monitoring and coordination with Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire Navies to facilitate possible response. As the hijacked vessel crossed into Liberian waters, the Liberia Coast Guard Maritime Operation Center under the direction of Headquarters Armed Forces of Liberia detailed two craft for the operation.
Following a search and monitoring operation, the suspected vessel was identified close to the Liberia- Sierra Leone maritime border.
The Liberian Coast Guard mounted an operation over twenty-eight hours on the water and subsequently continued after the seized vessel was brought to harbor at the Liberian Coast Guard Base on Bushord Island.
The vessel was pursued from the border until it got to the general area of Monrovia about nine nautical miles offshore.
‘Subsequently, Liberia Coast Guard Station Buchanan Response Team was activated to patrol to deter and apprehend pirates escaping to the Southeast,’ the Ministry of National Defence stated.
The Liberian Coast Guard conducted a forced boarding and secured the lower deck of the vessel which led the pirates to begin firing on the Liberian Coast Guard Special Operation team. The response led three pirates to launch a life raft to escape the vessel.
According to official sources, after some hours of negotiation with the remaining pirates was inconclusive, as they held the remaining crew members hostage, the special operation team forced an entry and rescued the remaining crew. Three armed pirates hid in compartments. The vessel was secured, brought to port.
The seized vessel had six Chinese and seventeen Sierra Leonean crew on board when it was taken over by pirates.
The Ministry of National Defense states that security within the sub-region of West Africa has been challenged over the years with a rise in terrorism, insurrection, human and drug trafficking, and maritime crimes. According to a Ministry representative, these crimes affect Liberia’s social and economic well-being and undermine national security.
