An armed pirate attack off the coast of Gabon has led to the kidnapping of nine crew members from a fishing vessel. According to Gabonese authorities, the Gabon-flagged trawler IB Fish 7 was boarded on Saturday, January 10, at around 02:00 local time, while fishing about seven nautical miles off Ekwata, in Gabonese waters.
Three armed assailants climbed aboard and abducted selected crewmembers before escaping. The kidnapped sailors include five Chinese nationals and four Indonesians. Six other crew members of Chinese, Indonesian and Burkinabe nationality were left on board and were not harmed.
After receiving the distress report, the Gabonese Navy and maritime security units launched an operation, with assistance from the French Navy. The vessel was located and escorted safely to the port of Libreville without further incident. Authorities have opened an investigation and say efforts are under way to trace the abducted crew and secure their release.
The IB Fish 7 is operated under the IB Fish brand, linked to West African conglomerate EBOMAF, which recently expanded fisheries and processing operations in Gabon.
This incident marks another act of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, a region that remains a critical route for energy shipments and commercial fishing. While attacks have declined from earlier peak years, coastal boardings and crew kidnappings continue to pose serious risks for vessels operating close to shore. Seafarers in the area are advised to maintain heightened watchkeeping, report suspicious activity immediately, and follow regional security guidance when operating in near-coastal waters.
