UK-based security consultancy the EOS Risk Group has reported that two separate pirate attacks occurred within just hours of each other off the coastal city of Douala in Cameroon on Friday, June 30.
At around 22:40 local time on Friday, while transiting the Wouri River near Douala, the Chinese-flagged fishing vessels Hai Lu Feng 13 and Hai Lu Feng 14 were approached and attacked by armed pirates in several skiffs.
Cameroon military personnel embarked aboard the fishing vessels responded to the attack by returning fire. According to initial reports, one of the suspects was killed in the ensuing gun battle.
Following the incident, the two fishing vessels sailed towards the Port of Douala.
A little over an hour later at 23:45, a group of unidentified suspects boarded a Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel while it was at anchor in the Wouri River off Douala.
Initial reports state that the suspects abducted six of the cargo vessel's crew and that the Cameroon Navy has been alerted about the incident.
The remaining crew subsequently brought the vessel to the Port of Douala with local security forces providing escort.
It is unknown whether the same group of perpetrators was responsible for the two separate attacks.
