AFTER SAILING FROM LAGOS PORT, OCT 3RD: MT Nave Andromeda In Distress At English Channel

There are strong indications that a Liberian flagged M/T NAVE ANDROMEDA is currently involved in an ongoing incident 20nm SW Gosport within the English Channel.

The vessel appears to have arrived from Lagos on the morning of the 25th October foreign media have reported.

It has been reported that the vessel M/T NAVE ANDROMEDA (IMO 9580405) has had a 3 miles exclusion zone put in place around it after making a mayday call at 0900hrs on the morning of the 25th October.

It is understood that the crew have made their way to the citadel onboard the vessel.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said “We are aware and dealing with an ongoing incident on board a vessel which is situated south of the Isle of Wight.

“We have positioned an officer on observation duty at the top of Cowleaze, monitoring the vessel from afar.”

Coastguard Helicopter 175 From Lee has been circling the area and now helicopter 163 from lydd has taken over duties and police helicopter is also on scene as of 14:30.

This incident, if confirmed appears to be the second such incident involving the hostile takeover of a vessel in English waters, involving stowaways with the first such incident recorded onboard the M/V GRAND TEMA in December 2018.