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Diplomat says vessel with Russians on board seized outside Beninese territorial waters

MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Benin’s embassy confirms the seizure of a Greek vessel with Russians on board, the country’s ambassador to Russia Aniset Gabriel Kochofa told TASS on Wednesday stressing that the incident occurred outside Beninese territorial waters.

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"The vessel has been hijacked by pirates outside Beninese territorial waters, the crew comprises Russian and Ukrainian citizens. According to different estimates, there are up to four Russians on board," the ambassador said.

According to the diplomat, the Russians will be released as soon as the vessel reaches Benin’s territorial waters. "Then we will have a chance to contact the crew and find out what actually happened. What we know now is that the vessel was travelling from Ghana towards Benin. We don’t know what the pirates demand," the ambassador noted.

As reported earlier, on November 29, a Greek vessel flying Panama’s flag with 18 Russians and two Ukrainian citizens on board was supposedly seized off the coast of Benin.

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