1 killed, 4 Chinese abducted as pirates attack ship in Gabon

Authorities searched Monday for four Chinese crew members who were taken hostage by pirates in speedboats off Gabon's capital over the weekend.

Government spokesman Edgard Anicet Mboumbou Miyakou confirmed Sunday that four vessels anchored in Libreville's harbor were targeted in the overnight attack. He said a Gabonese national, the commander of a vessel operated by the Satram company, was killed.

The four Chinese crew members taken hostage were working for the Sigapeche company, the spokesman said.

Security forces were searching for the attackers in collaboration with Interpol and sub-regional organizations, he said. Gabonese authorities were taking measures to guarantee the safety of maritime traffic, he said.

While attacks in the Libreville harbor are rare, piracy poses a growing threat in the Gulf of Guinea. The International Maritime Bureau says the Gulf of Guinea now accounts for about 82% of crew kidnappings in the world.