LUANDA – A Greek oil tanker that disappeared off the coast of Angola last week faked its hijacking and has been located in Nigerian waters, the Angolan navy says.
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker MT Kerala had just loaded a shipment of diesel belonging to a subsidiary of Angola’s state oil company Sonangol, when it went off the radar on January 18.
Its owners Athens-based Dynacom Tankers Management said earlier last week they suspected “pirates had taken control” of the vessel, which was carrying a crew of 27 Indians and Filipinos.
However Augusto Alfredo, spokesman for the Angolan navy, said on Sunday “there has not been a hijacking of the vessel, but a faked hijacking”.
Alfredo said the tanker had been at the entrance to the Luanda bay last Saturday when it was approached by a tugboat.
“It then cut off its communication system and followed the tugboat to Nigeria,” said the spokesman.
