A picture taken in Lome, on June 2, 2018 shows machineries at the site of the construction of the new port. Seaside communities along Togo's coast have long lived with the consequences of erosion from the strong winds and waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Locals blame the damage on the construction and expansion of the deep sea port in Lome since the late 1960s. (PHOTO / AFP)

ATHENS – The Greek-flagged tanker "Elka Aristotelis" was attacked by pirates on Monday in Togo and four crew members out of a total of 24 were abducted, Greece's Shipping ministry announced.

The Togo attack comes two days after a similar attack in the waters of neighboring Benin

The gunmen attacked the vessel while it was docked at Lome, Togo and the four men abducted include a Greek national, two Filipinos and a Georgian national, according to the ministry's e-mailed press statement.

Greek authorities are in constant contact with the shipping company which manages the tanker, it was added. 

The Togo attack comes two days after a similar attack in the waters of neighboring Benin. On Saturday, a vessel owned by Norwegian shipping firm J.J. Ugland was boarded by pirates while at anchor off the coast of Benin, and nine crew members were kidnapped.

While piracy has decreased worldwide, West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea is a high-risk area for abductions and armed robbery, the International Maritime Bureau, a unit of the International Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement last month.

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Shippers have reported several abductions in the region in recent months, including eight crew members taken from a German-owned vessel off Cameroon in August, and 10 Turkish sailors off the coast of Nigeria in July.

Citing safety reasons, the Norwegian shipowner did not reveal the crew’s nationalities or how many had avoided capture.

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“The Ugland Emergency Response Team are handling this situation as per contingency plans, and they are in contact with relevant authorities. ... The families of the crew members have been contacted and will be kept informed by Ugland,” the company said in the statement.