Three foreign sailors that were kidnapped last week by pirates in the oil-rich south of Nigeria have been rescued in a marathon gun battle, the Nigerian Navy reports.
The three – two Russians and one Indian – were saved in an operation late Tuesday by the Special Troops of the Nigerian Navy in the southwestern coastal state of Ondo.
The Nigerian-flagged trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Ambika (ex Galilei 2000) was attacked last week when operating 3nm from the mouth of the Ramos River, off the coast of Nigeria.
According to the international maritime security consultancy Dryad Global, during the attack, a firefight occurred between the embarked security personnel on the TSHD and the pirates.
After heavy exchange of fire, the pirates were able to board the vessel and abduct three crew members (two Russians and one Indian) leaving behind five crew members.
In addition to kidnapping three foreigners, the pirates killed four naval personnel.