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Russians kidnapped off Cameroon’s coast are in satisfactory condition — embassy

Antimalarial medicines are going to be delivered to them, according to the embassy official

© EPA/Robin Utrecht, archive

RABAT, August 21. /TASS/. Three Russian nationals kidnapped from the MarMalaita cargo vessel off Cameroon’s coast last week along with five other crew members are in satisfactory condition, an official at the Russian embassy in Yaounde told TASS on Wednesday.

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"According to available information, the Russians are in satisfactory condition. An agreement has been reached that antimalarial medicines will be delivered to them," he said.

The diplomat specified that the three Russians were the vessel’s captain, first mate and chief mechanic.

Unknown perpetrators, believed to be Nigerian pirates, attacked the MarMalaita vessel flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda while it was anchored off Douala, Cameroon, on August 14. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the attackers had kidnapped eight crew members, including three Russian nationals. On Tuesday, the Russian embassy in Cameroon assumed that the Russians could have been taken to Nigeria. There has been no new information on their whereabouts so far.

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