No demands from pirates captured Russian sailors so far

18.05.2010 So far, there have been no demands from pirates captured two Russian crewmembers of MV North Spirit off Cameroon, reported Russian Guild of Sailors (RGS).

On Sunday Cameroonian pirates attacked MV North Spirit (flying the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, operated by Greek company Balthellas Chartering S.A.) with Russian and Ukrainian crewmen on board. Two sailors were kidnapped, the shipmaster Boris Tersintsev, native of Vladivostok and chief engineer Igor Shumik, resident of Arkhangelsk.

Reportedly, once harbor pilotage of North Spirit was completed, 20 armed men boarded the vessel.

"Pirates disabled all radio and navigational equipment, ransacked the crew quarters having taken away all valuables, money and personal things, and at gunpoint forced the shipmaster Boris Tersintsev, native of Vladivostok and chief engineer Igor Shumik, resident of Arkhangelsk to get in their boat. Location of our countrymen is still unknown", informs the website of RGS.

Russian Guild of Sailors maintains contact with Alexander Korol, master's mate of North Spirit. According to him, the rest of crewmembers are alive and well, supplied with food and water; communication has been reestablished.

The guard is set on board; the crew waits for berthing. RGS has already informed Russian foreign ministry and Russian embassy in Cameroon about kidnapping of two Russian sailors.