January 14, 2026 | 09:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received information regarding the four Indonesian vessel crews who were kidnapped by pirates. The kidnapping occurred on the crew of the IB FISH 7 (Liang Peng Yu 828) fishing vessel in the waters of Ekwata, Gabon, on January 11, 2026.
Acting Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah, stated that they have received information about the hijacking of the IB FISH 7 (Liang Peng Yu 828) fishing vessel in the waters of Ekwata, Gabon. The pirates kidnapped nine out of the 12 crew members. Four of the crew members are Indonesian citizens who work on the vessel.
According to Heni, the hostages are in a safe condition and are still on the same vessel. "The Gabonese Navy forces are currently pursuing the perpetrators. Three crew members (including 2 Indonesian citizens) who are on board IB FISH 7 are being escorted by the Gabonese Navy to Libreville, the capital of Gabon," she said in a written statement received by Tempo on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
After receiving information about the hijacking, Heni stated that the ministry, through the Indonesian Embassy in Yaounde, has coordinated with local authorities, ship companies/agents, and other relevant parties. The Foreign Ministry is making efforts to expedite the rescue of the kidnapped crew members, obtain the latest information regarding the health conditions of the Indonesian crew members, and ensure that their labor rights are fulfilled and maintained for the Indonesian crew members and/or their families. "The Foreign Ministry and the Indonesian Embassy in Yaounde will continue to monitor the situation and handle this case," she said.
Armed attackers boarded a fishing vessel off the coast of Gabon over the weekend. They abducted nine sailors, said the Ministry of Defense on Monday, January 12, 2026, as reported by TRT World.
The incident on Saturday night was the latest act of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which spans more than 5,700 kilometers from Senegal to Angola off the west coast of Africa. "This attack, perpetrated by three armed individuals, led to the abduction of nine crew members, including five Chinese nationals and four Indonesians," said the chief of staff of the navy, Hubert Bekale Meyong, in a video statement broadcasted by the Gabonese media on Monday.
"The purse seiner IB Fish 7, which flies the Gabonese flag, fell victim to a pirate attack while fishing about seven nautical miles southwest of Ekwata, in the waters of Gabon," he said.
Four of the captured sailors are Indonesian. The rest are from China and Burkina Faso. They remain on board the vessel.
Gabonese authorities located the purse seiner before escorting it to the port of Libreville. An investigation has been conducted.
In February of last year, three sailors were kidnapped at gunpoint from a fishing vessel in waters near the capital. The Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean, is an important maritime route for oil and gas because of its proximity to major oil producers in West Africa.
This place is also popular among amateur fishermen, boat enthusiasts, and tourists who want to witness whales off the coast of Gabon.
Read: Four Indonesian Vessel Crew Abducted off Gabon Coast
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