Nigerian Pirates Seize Two U.S. Sailors

This is not a movie, this is real life. The captain and chief engineer of the US-flagged C-Retriever were taken on Wednesday by armed Nigerian men who stormed the boat, according to BBC News. Just after the release of the feature film, “Captain Phillips,” we are still reminded that piracy is very much alive and dangerous in foreign waters.

There has been a recent surge in pirate attacks off the West African coast. The crew are normally freed unharmed after any oil on board the ships is stolen, unlike in East Africa, where sailors are held for ransom. However, there have also been numerous kidnappings of foreign oil workers and wealthy Nigerians, especially in the oil-producing Niger Delta region.

Security sources reported the kidnapping of the two US sailors. In many cases, the taken are held until a ransom payment is made.