Pirates kidnapped 12 foreign sailors off the coast of Nigeria's restive and oil-rich southern delta during an attack that left one crew member injured, a naval spokesman said Saturday. Commodore David Nabaida said that pirates boarded the German-flagged cargo ship BBC Palonia Friday night off the coast of the Niger Delta. A struggle broke out during the attack and pirates shot one crew member in the leg during the fight, Nabaida said. Nabaida said the Nigerian navy escorted the ship to safe waters and got medical aid for the wounded sailor. “All efforts are being made to ... rescue the kidnapped crew,” the commodore said. Nabaida said the navy had suspects in mind for the attack, but declined to offer further details. He did not know the nationality of those taken during the attack. Militants have kidnapped oil workers, bombed crude pipelines and fought with government troops since an insurrection began in the Niger Delta in 2006. Saturday's attack comes as acts of piracy increase in the Gulf of Guinea.
