The ship's crew had to lock themselves in the vessel's bridge for safety, media reports said.
UK Police said they did not think the incident was piracy or terrorism related. "We have received no reports that anyone has been harmed and don’t believe they are at risk. We are not currently treating this as either a hostage, piracy or terror-related incident," Essex Police said, as quoted by The Sun.
Current position of the Grande Tema — a vessel in the Thames Estuary after a group of stowaway migrants began threatening them with iron bars demanding the vessel goes closer to the Kent coast so they can swim to shore. #piracy #security @SkyNewsBreak @BBCBreaking #maritime pic.twitter.com/pi7QUl0YLF
— MariTrace (@maritrace_) 21 December 2018
According to Reuters, the suspects were believed to have boarded the vessel in Nigeria and had demanded to be taken to the English coast, threatening the Grande Tema's crew with iron bars.
Group of four Nigerian thugs masquerading as migrants hold crew of the 70,000 tonne Grande Tema at bay with iron bars in the Thames Estuary after being discovered on board. These criminals should be prosecuted then deported. pic.twitter.com/gxN69ajtQ0
— UK Justice Forum (@Justice_forum) 21 December 2018
UK police said Saturday that the special operation to regain control of the ship is over, that the vessel has been secured and that four men were detained after the completion of the operation.
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