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Kidnappers of sailors from vessel near Cameroon did not make any demands — Russian embassy

Russia's diplomats assume that Nigerian pirates might be behind the attack

© REUTERS/Baz Ratner

RABAT, August 16. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy in Cameroon is currently determining the location of three Russian citizens kidnapped during the attack on the cargo vessel Marmalaita near the Cameroonian port of Douala, a source in the embassy informed TASS on Friday.

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Three Russians among kidnapped seamen from vessel in Cameroon — Foreign Ministry

"There is no information on their location and health status. We are currently investigating it," the diplomat said. According to him, "Nigerian pirates are supposedly behind the attack." "The kidnappers have not made any demands so far," he stressed.

The embassy noted that the Cameroonian Navy is currently "investigating the location of Marmalaita vessel, the officials are conducting a search in the Gulf of Guinea, near the Cameroonian coast."

On Thursday, the AFP agency reported, citing a Cameroon’s Navy source, that unknown perpetrators had abducted seamen from a vessel near the port of Douala. According to the source, "the kidnappers are probably Nigerian pirates."

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed earlier on Friday that there are three Russian citizens on board the attacked vessel. Russian diplomats actively cooperate with Cameroonian government bodies and ship-owners in order to ensure the soonest release of Russians, the ministry informed.

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