Gabon Ends Search for Missing Tanker With 2 Russians Aboard - Russian Embassy

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Embassy in Gabon told Sputnik that the country's authorities had ended the search for the tanker that had been missing for over a week and had two Russian nationals aboard, but the neighboring countries continue the operation.

The vessel went off the radar in the Gabonese territorial waters on August 14.

"It is known that [the missing ship] is a Panama-flagged tanker of the Greek Lotus Shipping company with two Russian nationals among the crew members. Over the past week, the embassy has been in close contact with the Gabonese authorities, armed forces, and the Gabonese Defense Ministry which have taken all possible measures and used all technical means available to search for the ship in the Gabonese waters," Anton Spiridonov, the head of the embassy's consular service said.

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"On Monday, the search operation was finished. Neither the ship nor any traces of a man-made catastrophe, wreckage or accident have been found," Spiridonov said.

The diplomat added that up to now there was no official information confirming claims that the vessel had been seized by pirates.

"We maintain constant contacts with the authorities, continue gathering information and communicate with the relatives of the missing people," Spiridonov said.

According to the diplomat, the company owning the vessel is working with the countries neighboring Gabon, including Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, which continue to search for the missing ship.