Maritime Piracy Incident – AMERGER 7, Gabonese Waters

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Feb 1
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Private Intelligence Agency (PIA) Wartime Intelligence ReportClassification: Confidential

Date: 01/02/2025

Subject: AMERGER 7

Incident

At approximately 2100 hours on 31/01/2025, an act of maritime piracy was reported onboard the trawler AMERGER 7while it was engaged in fishing activities within Gabonese territorial waters near Ngombé Point at position 00°15' N - 009°7'E. The vessel, registered under Senegalese ownership, was legally operating within the region at the time of the incident.

According to intelligence received from Gabonese authorities and maritime monitoring systems, a group of armed and hooded assailants executed a rapid and well-coordinated boarding of AMERGER 7, subduing the crew through excessive physical violence and coercion.

Attack Dynamics

Entry Method: The assailants approached in a high-speed skiff, equipped with outboard engines.
Weapons Used: Small arms, machetes, and improvised blunt objects.
Crew Treatment:
- Forced to kneel and subjected to intimidation.
- Physical assaults, including slapping and striking with blunt objects.
- All communication devices seized to prevent distress signals.
Kidnappings: Three crew members of Senegalese nationality were forcibly taken hostage:
- Captain (Identity withheld for security reasons).
- Mechanic (Critical for vessel operations).
- Able Seaman (AB) (Likely taken for potential labor or ransom leverage).

Response Actions

Following the incident, a swift response was initiated by the French Navy and Gabonese security forces:

French Naval Response:
- Two patrol vessels at Mole Libreville port placed on high alert.
- One vessel dispatched to the attack zone for search and intercept operations.
Coastal Security Enhancements:
- Surveillance posts at Capal, Cap Esterias, Pointe Denis, Ile Nende, and Cocobeach reinforced with additional monitoring assets.
- Air reconnaissance initiated over maritime routes leading towards Cameroon and Nigeria.

Vessel Status and Investigation

Following the attack, AMERGER 7 safely returned to its home port in Port-Gentil, where Gabonese authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation. The vessel is undergoing forensic examination, including:

Analysis of any remaining physical evidence from the attackers.
Crew debriefing to establish potential intelligence leads.
Tracking of possible ransom communications originating from known pirate networks.

Regional Threat Analysis

Background on Maritime Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea remains one of the world's most volatile maritime regions, with pirate syndicates, organized crime networks, and militant factions conducting regular attacks. These groups primarily originate from:

Niger Delta-based criminal syndicates operating out of Nigeria.
Ex-militants and rogue maritime operators engaging in piracy due to economic hardships.
Transnational criminal elements exploiting regional instability.

Recent Trends

Increased kidnappings for ransom: Pirates have shifted from cargo theft to abducting crew members for financial extortion.
Expansion of attack zones: Incidents previously confined to Nigerian waters are now spreading further into Gabon, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Use of local informants: Intelligence suggests that attackers receive inside information regarding vulnerable vessels, raising concerns about collusion within port facilities.

S-23-PIA-A7

The attack on AMERGER 7 underscores the escalating piracy threat in the Gulf of Guinea, requiring immediate security reinforcements and policy adaptations for regional and international maritime operations. Vessels operating in Gabonese waters and surrounding maritime corridors must heighten security awareness and implement stringent mitigation measures to prevent further incidents.

This report will be updated as further intelligence becomes available.

Prepared by:Private Intelligence Agency (PIA)

Maritime Security Division

End of Report