Greek manager Smart Tankers has said planning is vital to resisting "the very real threat" of piracy off West Africa.

The company confirmed that its 16,700-dwt product tanker Errina (built 2019) was attacked by armed men in the Gulf of Guinea 300 nautical miles (555 km) south of Lagos on the morning of 22 October.

Maritime security companies and the flag state of Panama believed at first that there may have been a mistake in the reporting of the tanker's position when the alarm...