Looters have been filmed stealing from containers in an apparently pre-planned attack on a container ship in the in Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, after the vessel left Guayaquil, bound for Balboa, Panama on the evening of 6 March, local time.
[s2If is_user_logged_in()]According to reports from the security firm Dryad Global a group of armed men boarded the vessel and were on board for around 40 minutes while they unloaded cargo from containers and loading two nearby boats with their stolen cargo.
“They stayed on board for approximately 40 minutes breaking into nine specific containers, apparently knowing which containers to open. They also seized a crew member who was in the bow area, taking his phone and radio before leaving the ship,“ said Dryad Global.
Although all the crew were unharmed the incident will be of great concern to vessel operators. The Pacora is a German owned feeder vessel of around 700TEU capacity. The owner is Harren & Partner Ship Management GmbH & Co KG of Bremen. Container News contacted the owners who said the company would not comment on the attack.
This video, below, was made by a crew member from the bridge as the attackers targeted containers.
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