Nairobi: An armed group Friday threatened to kill two Cameroonians, who were among 10 crewmen of an oil vessel seized by the militants early in the day, if the Cameroon government does not begin negotiations soon for their release, media reports said.

A group of armed men, suspected to be Nigerian pirates, in speedboats attacked the vessel off the coast of Cameroon in West Africa and seized at least 10 members of the crew, reports said.

Bourbon, an oil services company of Cameroon, confirmed the news and said the kidnapped employees on board the vessel "Bourbon Sagitta", included seven French, two Cameroonians and a Tunisian.

The vessel was contracted by French oil major Total.

According to a spokeswoman of Bourbon, the gunmen attacked the ship while it was helping an oil tanker load crude oil at an offshore oilfield in the Gulf of Guinea.

She said the company was working closely with the French foreign ministry for the quick release of the hostages.

 

Source : ians