The New Zealand conservationist Pete Bethune has survived an attack by armed men on the 'Modoc' off the coast of South America while the ship was at anchor in the night of March 8, 2022. Six small vessels with an estimated 15 men on board approached the 'Modoc's bow before a couple of them cut their engines and began to drift down the port side and were clambering up. Warning shots fired from an assault rifle scared off most of the pirates, but two made it to the ship's railing and tried to clamber aboard before torchlight and more warning shots sent them scrambling back to their skiffs. The pirate flotilla then drifted away, shouting at the 'Modoc's crew. The crew remained on high alert for the pirate's possible return. Bethune was reluctant to give away his location, other than to say it's in South America.
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AFINA
The 'Afina' was intercepted and captured by the Russian Navy ships in neutral Romanian waters on Feb 26, 2022, along with the 'Princess Nicole' (IMO:8319392) on it s way to Constanta. The 'Afina' was en route from Nikolayev to Constanta. Both ships were ordered to stop for search and check purposes, and later they were escorted to Crimean waters. The last AIS positionsn dated on Feb 27 a 10 a.m. UTC, were 56 nm NW of Sevastopol.
AFINA
The crew of the two Ukrainian-flagged merchant ships that were captured by the Russian Navy over the weekend have been detained, besides the 'Princess Nicole' which was seized by Russian forces off Romania over the weekend on Feb 26/27, 2022, the 'Afina', which was diverted to waters off Crimea. Both the 'Nicole Nicole' and the 'Afina' have departed Russian-controlled waters off Sebastopol and are now located in Romanian waters off Constanta. Their physical location could not be immediately confirmed.
SAPFIR
The 'Sapfir' was captured by the Russians at Zmeiniy island on Feb 26, 2022. The communication to the ship was lost. It was deployed in unspecified mission in the island's waters. The ship’s position and status as well as the crew's fate were presently unknown.
APRIL9
The bulk carrier 'Afina' (IMO: 8029272) was intercepted and captured by the Russian Navy ships in neutral Romanian waters on Feb 26, 2022, along with the 'Princess Nicole' (IMO:8319392) on it s way to Constanta. The 'Afina' was en route from Nikolayev to Constanta. Both ships were ordered to stop for search and check purposes, and later they were escorted to Crimean waters. The last AIS positionsn dated on Feb 27 a 10 a.m. UTC, were 56 nm NW of Sevastopol.