2 Naval Ratings Killed as Gunmen Attack Boats
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 02.12.2008
Two naval ratings were killed and another one thrown overboard in two separate attacks at Bonny, Rivers State when gunmen attacked a naval boat escorting a Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas boat.
The second incident which took place at bouy 35 in Bonny area also involved the attack of a supply vessel belonging to Texaco where a gun belonging to one of the security men was stolen and personnel thrown overboard.
Eyewitness accounts said the NLNG boat being escorted was chased by the gun men who immediately opened fire close to the jetty with high caliber weapons prompting those on land to take to their heels.
When the naval escort boat sent from the NNS Pathfinder, Rumuolumeni sent a distress call over the attack, the distance from Rumuolumeni to Bonny could not allow help to come until the gunmen left.
Commenting on the incident,Navy spokesman,Lt. Way said: “We have the report of the attack. We are however collating the facts and within an hour, I will be able to confirm the details to you.”
In the second incident, the attack was said to be on a Total oil vessel, MV Patience where some gunmen in the same style overtook it at the Bonny waterways and opened fire on the vessel , wounding some of the crew members in the process. After boarding the vessel, they also threw a crew member overboard.
He was said to have been rescued about 25 minutes later by another boat . The gunmen sped off into the deep seas immediately after the attack while the vessel sent a signal to alert other sea- going vessels .
