Moscow Closely Monitoring Situation With Russian Sailors Abducted Off Cameroon Coast

The Russian Foreign Ministry keeps the situation with Russian sailors, who were abducted by pirates off the coast of Cameroon, under special control, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday

PYATIGORSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd August, 2019) The Russian Foreign Ministry keeps the situation with Russian sailors, who were abducted by pirates off the coast of Cameroon, under special control, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

Last week, multipurpose cargo vessel MarMalaita, sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, was attacked by pirates near Cameroon's Douala port. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that the pirates kidnapped eight out of 12 crew members, including three Russian nationals. The other abductees are German nationals, according to a Sputnik source.

The vessel itself was not seized.

"We continue to keep the situation with the armed attack on this vessel under special control. Nigerian pirates allegedly carried out the attack," Zakharova said at a briefing.

According to the information of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the kidnapped sailors are now in Nigeria, she added.

The Russian Embassy in Cameroon said on Wednesday that the talks about freeing Russian sailors for ransom might last up to two weeks.