US News

Pirates kidnap Americans from oil ship

Pirates snatched two Americans off an oil-supply vessel near Nigeria, in the latest incident of high-seas terror that has plagued the region, officials said Thursday.

The captain and chief engineer aboard the C-Retriever were kidnapped during an attack early Wednesday morning in the Gulf of Guinea, near the Nigerian port city of Brass.

“We’re obviously closely monitoring reports that two US citizens have been kidnapped from a US flagged vessel,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

“It’s a motor vessel, the C-Retriever, in the Gulf of Guinea. We are seeking additional information about the incident, so that we may contribute to safely resolving the situation.”

Vessels carrying cargo and petroleum iin the oil-rich region have come become prime targets of modern-day buccaneers. The C-Retriever was carrying supplies to offshore oil rigs when pirates boarded and took the two Americans.

The 220-foot-long vessel is owned by Edison Chouest Offshore, and officials with the Louisiana-based company could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

“We are continuing to seek additional information and for privacy reasons can’t provide any additional information about the two US citizens,” Harf said.

Overall incidents of high-seas piracy are on the decline, but they’re on the rise in this hot spot, maritime experts said,

“The piracy threat is spreading even further through the waters of West Africa, and the attacks have been mounting, even as global rates of reported piracy are at their lowest since 2006,” said consultant Michael Frodl of C-Level Maritime Risks.

The region’s most famous pirate attack — on the Maersk Alabama — happened on the east coast of Africa, about 3,000 crow-flying miles away from the C-Retreiver incident.

An account of the famed takeover and rescue is now playing out on American movie screens, with “Captain Phillips.”

Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is playing the lead role, chronicling the takeover of the Maersk Alabama on April 8, 2009.

Pirates took Phillips off the ship, before Navy SEAL snipers killed three Somali pirates during his rescue.

Earlier this month, while hyping the movie, Phillips said African pirates are a fact of life in that region.

“If you’re gonna be in the merchant marines, you’ll have to deal with piracy,” Phillips told the “Today” Show. “Firemen go into a burning house. Police have to deal with violent situations. Merchant marines have to deal with piracy.”