MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The ship-owner company and Russian diplomats are working for the release of two Russians from the Esther-C, which was captured by pirates on February 7 off the western coast of Africa. The abductors have not responded to contact attempts yet, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports.
"The ship-owner company, through experts with experience of tackling similar problems, is making active efforts aimed at the speedy and safe release of the hostages," a Wednesday ministry report says.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry, our embassies in Abuja, Yaounde, London and Bucharest, are working intensively coordinating their efforts with British and Romanian colleagues and the local African authorities," the report says.
According to Carisbrooke Shipping, on February 7 pirates attacked the Esther-C belonging to its subsidiary company. The incident occurred 100 nautical miles SSW of Port Harcourt. Three crewmembers were taken hostage: Russians Valery Vinogradov and Andrei Krenev and a citizen of Romania.
"The sailors were not harmed in the attack. Their current whereabouts are unknown. There has been no contact with the abductors," the ministry report says.
"Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd., regrets to report that their 2008 built, UK flag operated general cargoship MV Esther-C was boarded by pirates on the evening of February 7 while in international waters in the Gulf of Guinea. Having stolen personal possessions, the pirates departed the vessel taking three crewmembers as hostage," the ship-owner company announced on February 8.
The same day the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the Esther-C ship with two Russians aboard had been captured by unidentified attackers in the territorial waters of Cameroon.
"Unidentified armed people captured the Esther-C ship sailing under the British flag in the evening of February 6 in the territorial waters of the Republic of Cameroon [between ports of Douala and Malabo]. Two crewmembers of the ship are citizens of the Russian Federation," the ministry report said.