Six Crew Members Freed After Tanker Hijacking Off West Africa; 10 Remain Hostage

Six crew members of a Liberian-flagged tanker were freed after being held hostage by pirates in West Africa.
Pirates left 10 of the 16 crew members on board and kidnapped the remaining six, taking them to shore in Nigeria.
The freed crew members were recovered in Nigeria and are being repatriated home.
The Gulf of Guinea sees frequent attacks on ships, though this hijacking occurred further south in an atypical location.
The tanker's owner called for safe passage routes and zones to prevent future incidents.