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| Nigerian pirates kidnap 12 crew from Swiss cargo ship | Nigerian pirates kidnap 12 crew from Swiss cargo ship |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pirates have kidnapped 12 crew members from a Swiss cargo vessel in Nigerian waters. | Pirates have kidnapped 12 crew members from a Swiss cargo vessel in Nigerian waters. |
| Massoel Shipping said its vessel, MV Glarus, was carrying wheat from Nigeria's capital to Port Harcourt when it was attacked on Saturday. | Massoel Shipping said its vessel, MV Glarus, was carrying wheat from Nigeria's capital to Port Harcourt when it was attacked on Saturday. |
| "The pirate gang boarded the Glarus by means of long ladders and cut the razor wire on deck," the firm told AFP. | "The pirate gang boarded the Glarus by means of long ladders and cut the razor wire on deck," the firm told AFP. |
| The intruders struck 45 nautical miles from Bonny Island in the Niger Delta, taking 12 of the 19 crew hostage. | The intruders struck 45 nautical miles from Bonny Island in the Niger Delta, taking 12 of the 19 crew hostage. |
| Geneva-based Massoel said the pirates had "destroyed much of the vessel's communications equipment". | Geneva-based Massoel said the pirates had "destroyed much of the vessel's communications equipment". |
| The crew members' nationalities remain unknown, but the firm said their families are being closely informed of the situation. | The crew members' nationalities remain unknown, but the firm said their families are being closely informed of the situation. |
| Specialists are en route to ensure the hostages' "speedy and safe release", the shipping company said. | Specialists are en route to ensure the hostages' "speedy and safe release", the shipping company said. |
| Switzerland's foreign ministry said Massoel had confirmed that none of those kidnapped were from the country itself, Reuters reports. | Switzerland's foreign ministry said Massoel had confirmed that none of those kidnapped were from the country itself, Reuters reports. |
| Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria, with foreigners and high-profile Nigerians frequently targeted. | Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria, with foreigners and high-profile Nigerians frequently targeted. |
| There has been a slight increase in hostage-takings off the coast of Nigeria, according to a 2017 report by the watchdog Oceans Beyond Piracy. | There has been a slight increase in hostage-takings off the coast of Nigeria, according to a 2017 report by the watchdog Oceans Beyond Piracy. |
| More people were held for longer, with the organisation warning of a "significant increase in the level of violence". |