Pirates Kidnap Russians; Nigerian Pirates Kidnap Six Russians, One Estonian

African pirates have struck once again.

On Wednesday, the vessel Liberty 249 was hijacked by pirates and seven crew members were taken hostage.

The incident which took place of the coast of Nigeria was confirmed by Bourbon, the French shipping company that owns and operates the ship.

According to Reuters, the captured crew consists of six Russians and one Estonian who were sailors onboard the Liberty 249.

Bourbon released a statement saying the ship's other crew of nine sailors was able to safely reach the port of Onne in Nigeria.

The company says that they've created an emergency unit to help find their missing personnel stating, "The emergency unit has been set up to aim at their rapid liberation under the safest security conditions."

Bourbon operates a number of supply vessels to the offshore oil industry that make up the Niger Delta region of the Gulf of Guinea.

Reuters reports that Commodore Kabir Aliyu of the Nigerian Navy said his forces are searching for the pirates and the captured crew.

Attacks by pirates are growing in both East and West Africa. Piracy of the coast of Somalia dominates much of the public's attention, but is on the rise in the oil-rich area of the Gulf of Guinea.

Pirates off the coast of Nigeria usually attack boats for their cargo, but rarely take hostages even though it is common in other parts of the Niger Delta.

The Gulf of Guinea has the largest source of energy located within the continent which brings oil companies into the region.

Fuel ships have become a favorite target of pirates of the Niger Delta. In August, pirates hijacked a Greek oil tanker near the Ivory Coast. They captured the ship with a crew of around 20 sailors and released it after they stole 3,000 tons of fuel.