Ship attacked off Nigeria not Turkish-owned: Company

Liberian-flagged vessel's management belongs to firm with offices in London, Hamburg, says Turkish marine firm executive

By Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - A cargo ship attacked off Nigeria is neither Turkish-owned nor Turkish-flagged, according to an executive of a Turkish marine company on Monday.

"The ship is not Turkish-owned or Turkish-flagged," Levent Karsan, the director-general of the company Boden, told reporters in a press conference on the Turkish sailors who were kidnapped by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea on Saturday.

Following the attack, the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Mozart -- with a largely Turkish crew -- anchored at Port-Gentil at 11.00 a.m. (0800GMT) on Sunday.

Karsan said the ship belonged to foreign investors and his company was only responsible for the vessel's technical management.

"The ship is Liberian-flagged. Its management belongs to a firm that has offices in London and Hamburg," Karsan said.

He added that he did not receive any news that the pirates contacted any authorities so far.

*Details to follow

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