The crew of a tanker ship fell victim to a kidnapping operation carried out off the southern coast of Cameroon in the Gulf of Guinea, according to security firm Dryad Global.

The Master and Chief Engineer of the Hana I tanker, a vessel weighing 13,000 deadweight tons and registered with Tuvalu, were reportedly seized by pirates on New Year’s Day.

While specific details surrounding the boarding remain scarce, Dryad Global has revealed that the incident occurred approximately 45 nautical miles south of the island of Bioko.

The targeted vessel is owned by a Singapore-headquartered agribusiness group, known for its operation of a diverse fleet of dry and liquid bulk ships.

The maritime community awaits further updates on the situation as efforts to address the incident unfold.