Five South Korean Citizens, One Ghanaian Kidnapped Off Beninese Coast - Foreign Ministry

Faizan Hashmi Published June 25, 2020 | 08:40 AM

SEOUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2020) Five South Korean citizens and a citizen of Ghana have been kidnapped from a fishing vessel off the Beninese coast, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the ministry, unknown gunmen attacked the Ghanaian-flagged Panofi Frontier ship at about 15:40 GMT on Wednesday, some 111 kilometers (about 69 miles) south of the Beninese coast.

Six out of 30 people, who were on board of the ship, have been kidnapped.

"It is currently unknown, who attacked the ship and where they are. On Thursday, the Foreign Ministry created a response group, based on the Overseas Korean Nationals Protection Division, and in close cooperation with the relevant bodies in South Korea and Benin will do everything possible to liberate our citizens," the statement said.

In 2014-2019, 523 South Korean citizens have been kidnapped or taken hostage, the Yonhap news agency reported.