Pirates attacked a ship with 21 Romanian sailors aboard near a port in Togo and kidnapped three of the sailors. The authorities in Romania have activated the crisis management cell, local News.ro reported.

Romania’s Free Trade Union of Navigators (SLN) first announced the incident, which took place on Sunday evening.

"MAE, through a press release, confirmed that the pirates kidnaped three Romanian natives, and the rest of the crew managed to arrive on time in the pre-established safe place in case of pirate attack," reads the SNL press release.

The pirates left the area after the attack and the ship was escorted into the safe anchorage area off​ the port of Lome. The case is now under the responsibility of the designated entities that will take appropriate measures to ensure that seafarers are released safely, according to SLN.

The union warns that pirate incidents have increased in intensity in the Guinea Bay area, to unprecedented levels, which affects seafarers and global shipping.

The attacked ship, Histria Ivory, under Maltese flag, transports petrochemical goods from Togo to Liberia. Its entire crew consists of Romanian sailors.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Histria.ro)