Pirates have attacked a U.S.-flagged oil platform supply vessel off the coast of Nigeria and kidnapped two Americans, a senior U.S. official tells Fox News.

The attack on the C-Retriever ship, which is owned by Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore, happened early Wednesday, UK-based security firm AKE and two security sources told Reuters. The ship is around 200 feet long and was sailing near Brass, Nigeria, in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Things are definitely getting more intense here,” a source told the maritime industry news website gCaptain.

The captain and the chief engineer of the C-Retriever reportedly were the ones onboard who were kidnapped.

The State Department is "closely monitoring" reports of the incident, Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson, said on Thursday.

"Obviously our concern is their safe return," she said. "At this point we do not have information that would indicate this was an act of terrorism."

A law enforcement official also told Fox News that the FBI is involved in the investigation and they believe it could be ransom case.

"The biggest fear is that the kidnappers make it to shore with the two Americans," the official said. "And it looks like they may have. That is certainly not ideal."

The pirates attacked the ship after a separate, unrelated attack on a Nigerian security boat that killed members of the Nigerian military's Joint Task Force, gCaptain reports.

“This is the second attack on a security boat in the past three days,” the site’s source said.

Edison Chouest did not immediately return a request for comment from gCaptain Wednesday.

Pirate attacks off Nigeria’s coast have caused ship insurance costs to rise.

"The piracy threat is spreading even further through the waters of West Africa, and the attacks have been mounting, even as global rates of reported piracy are at their lowest since 2006," Michael Frodl of the U.S.-based consultant C-Level Maritime Risks told Reuters.

West African leaders met in Cameroon in June and called for the creation of an international naval force to help patrol the waters in the region.

"I urge the international community to show the same firmness in the Gulf of Guinea as displayed in [Somalia's] Gulf of Aden, where the presence of international naval forces has helped to drastically reduce acts of piracy,” Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said at the time, according to the BBC.

The Gulf of Guinea, where the C-Retriever was attacked, is reportedly more dangerous to sailors than the waters of Somalia on the eastern side of Africa.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a non-profit group that fights maritime crime, said 960 sailors were attacked in waters off West Africa in 2012 compared to 851 in Somalia, the BBC reports.

An IMB report released last Thursday says through the first three quarters of 2013, the Gulf of Guinea region has recorded more than 40 pirate attacks and has accounted for all 34 crew kidnappings worldwide. Seven ships have been hijacked in the region and 132 crew members have been taken hostage, the report added.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/24/americans-kidnapped-by-pirates-off-coast-nigeria-official-says/

This report is incomprehensible.

Why are the reporters joining two separate incident that happened in gulf of Guinea off Nigeria coast with what happened in Brass, Nigeria.

This report is regrettable to say the least

CNN says they were kidnapped in Nigeria

Navy seal over to you

Na wa o!

Water kidnapping??

Na wa na so Nigeria name take de spoil.

Asari Dokubo is about to build another university.

.,

Hmmmmm

Ngwakwe: This report is incomprehensible.

Why are the reporters joining two separate incident that happened in gulf of Guinea off Nigeria coast with what happened in Brass, Nigeria.

This report is regrettable to say the least

Exactly my thought ,this western media always looking for a way to paint Nigeria black and unfortunately some of our own people are hell bent on bringing these blood sucking Americans closer to our shores under the disguise of security issues like terrorism and piracy....smh

Make dem cash the kidnappers na! Why dem dey tell us?

How sad.

WOW! What a breakthrough. Those pirate guys don hammer. The police should do everything possible to prevent those guys from smiling to the banks

Diz is no news to Africans

Kairoseki77:

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/24/world/africa/nigeria-vessel-attack/?c=&page=0

.

okosodo: They should say their last prayers if they are still alive. Hausa people and all muslims hate americans with corrosive passion

Why are you so stupid with your unwarranted comment, Am a fellow Christian like you is this how the Bible teaches us?? Please I think is high time our Pastors n Reverences should start preaching to us how to relate with other religions. Even without going to church individualistic should no how to approach in society or posting comment. JESUS preaches PEACE, likewise MUHAMMED preaches PEACE also our traditional method of worship ORUMILA preaches PEACE

West African leaders met in Cameroon in June and called for the creation of an international naval force to help patrol the waters in the region.

"I urge the international community to show the same firmness in the Gulf of Guinea as displayed in [Somalia's] Gulf of Aden, where the presence of international naval forces has helped to drastically reduce acts of piracy,” Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said at the time, according to the BBC.

It's about to get real in the Gulf of Guinea. Here is a list of naval warship currently patrolling in the Gulf of Aden (Somalia).

List of countries having military presence outside of Somalia.
France: http://www.france24.com/en/20090104-french-warship-foils-pirate-attack-gulf-aden-somalia
Italy: http://www.armybase.us/2009/05/italian-warship-maestrale-arrests-9-pirates-off-somalia
Sweden: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLQ614203
Japan: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Japanese-warships-join-fight-against-pirates-in-Somalia-14724.html
Russia: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2009/russia-090805-rianovosti01.htm
China: http://news.at0086.com/Today-s-Top-News/US-fleet-commander-visits-Chinese-warship-at-Gulf-of-Aden.html
Iran: http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-39868320090525
Israel: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5174801-report-israeli-warships-cross-the-canal-of-the-arabian-gulf
India: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/india-sends-second-warship-to-gulf-of-aden-to-fight-pirates_100152630.html
Pakistan: http://www.eunavfor.eu/2010/01/eu-navfor-fuels-pakistan-warship-in-the-gulf-of-aden/refuelling-ops1/
German: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKLR105225
Denmark: http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/danish-warship-rescues-hijacked-freighter
Australia: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/200909/s2694714.htm


Nigeria is going to be on LOCKDOWN!

Afritop: WOW! What a breakthrough. Those pirate guys don hammer. The police should do everything possible to prevent those guys from smiling to the banks

how many pirates have you heard of being prevented from smiling to the banks by police? Abeg make I hear word!

Western media are always looking for ways to discredit nigeria, for all we know, the kidnappers may not be from nigeria. Mcheeew....

ijaws boys on d loose bt they watch out for americas navy seal cuz they dont take prisoners bt shoot-at-sight8)

Make them go consult IFA ,He will tell them whey kidnapper hid them

The last time French nationals were arrested, a French frigate showed up to rescue them. Expect US warships from Africom to arrive sometime soon.

Waiting make I come do now......


Wen GEJ is in wat do dey call dat country

The Nigeria Navy needs a big time shake down. The officer's core of this service has proven to be completely unprepared and lacking the will to combat terrorism in our waters. The daily harassment on the waterways must be stopped.