Maritime bulletin website odin.tc has reported that gunmen with a speedboat took the crew members and left the vessel, which then sailed to the busy Onne port in Nigeria.

The alleged attack follows the hijacking of the MT Kerala oil tanker last month, further down the African coast in Angola - also suspected to be the work of Nigerian pirates.

The Kerala made it back to authorities with all crew members accounted for, although one had been stabbed and others were beaten.