Vessel attack/Illegal boarding - 75NM northwest of Bata, Equatorial Guinea

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Incident Details

Incident Date & Time:

07 November 2025, 22:45 UTC

Location:

75NM northwest of Bata, Equatorial Guinea

Latitude/Longitude: 

2° 10' 60.00" N, 8° 31' 60.00" E

Vessel Name, Type, Flag and Status:

UAL Africa, Cargo, Netherlands, Steaming

Incident Type:

Vessel attack/Illegal boarding

Crew status

No injuries reported

Incident Details

Description

On 7th November 2025, at 2245 hrs UTC, when transiting from Houston, USA to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, at about 75 NM northwest of Bata, one cargo vessel, UAL AFRICA, was boarded by sea pirates. Crew mustered inside citadel. By morning of 08 November, vessel reported that sea pirates had left and later a security company sent a security vessel to support UAL Africa.

Key findings

This incident represents a concerning expansion of piracy activity in the Gulf of Guinea region, occurring at a significant distance (75NM) from shore which indicates the attackers possessed substantial maritime capabilities and range. The location northwest of Bata places this attack in waters frequently transited by vessels serving the oil and gas installations common to Equatorial Guinea's offshore industry.

Recommendations

-  Maintain enhanced vigilance when transiting waters beyond 50NM from Equatorial Guinea's coast, as attacks are occurring at extended ranges.
- Ensure satellite communication systems are operational for immediate distress reporting in remote offshore areas.
-  Consider coordinating transit timing with naval patrol schedules when operating in this region.

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