A European reefer has escaped a potential pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea in the early hours of Wednesday.
Security company Ambrey said the unnamed Lithuania-flagged ship was bound for Douala, Cameroon, when it reported being approached by two skiffs.
This took place about 24 nautical miles north-west of Neves in Sao Tome and Principe.
Once the two skiffs were sighted the vessel took evasive action, turning west towards the Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Zone (JDZ) and increasing speed to 15 knots.
After this, the skiffs disengaged their approach, Ambrey added.
The vessel maintained an elevated speed for an hour and continued on course towards the JDZ, the company added.
The International Maritime Bureau reported that the crew members and vessel were safe.
The reefer had an estimated 3.7-metre freeboard at the time of the approach.
Africa Risk Compliance (ARC) said the incident took place about 215 miles from the Niger Delta coast.
The 121-metre ship was travelling at 12 knots when the approach was made, the company added.
Tanker fired on
No security personnel were reported as present on board.
Last month, shipping was put on alert after pirates fired on a crude tanker off Equatorial Guinea.
The unnamed ship was 89 nautical miles south-west of the Kome-Kribi Marine Terminal in Cameroon, where it had loaded a cargo and left the previous evening.
The tanker was believed to be heading to Wilhelmshaven in Germany.
