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Four die as suspected terrorist strike near UK Parliament
- World leaders show solidarity over London attack
Four people, including an armed police officer and a man believed to be the attacker, died yesterday in a terrorist incident near the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard confirmed last night.
One of the victims was among several pedestrians hit by a car on Westminster Bridge, before it crashed.
An officer protecting the Parliament was stabbed by an attacker, who was shot by the police.
At least 20 people were injured, including three other officers.
Acting Deputy Commissioner and head of counter terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, said a major terrorist investigation was under way.
He said the attack started shortly before 15:00 GMT when the four-wheel vehicle was driven over Westminster Bridge, hitting and injuring a number of members of the public and the three police officers, who were on their way back from a commendation ceremony.
Mr. Rowley said after the car crashed an ‘Asian’ knifeman “continued the attack and tried to enter Parliament”.
Witnesses say there was what appeared to be a warning shout and then the crack of three or four shots before the attacker fell to the floor.
Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood – a former Army officer, whose brother died in the Bali terrorist bombing in 2002 – attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of an injured police officer.
Prime Minister Theresa May was scheduled to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee later.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The thoughts of the PM and the government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families.”
Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said: “We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the officer who has died. This incident shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis.”
French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said three French school pupils were among the injured and offered “solidarity with our British friends, and full support” for the wounded students and their families.
The Port of London Authority said a woman was pulled alive from the River Thames, near the bridge and was being treated for serious injuries.
Emergency services treated at least 20 injured people on the bridge, with one woman dead under a bus.
The ‘middle-aged’ attacker, suspected to be an Asian, was then shot by armed officers. He died while being rushed to the hospital.
In the meantime, leaders of countries affected by recent terror attacks have voiced solidarity with the UK after the deadly attack near the Houses of Parliament.
A lone attacker was shot dead after he used a car to run down pedestrians, killing three, and stabbed a police officer to death outside Parliament.
Leaders of France and Germany, which suffered deadly vehicle attacks last year, offered the UK their support.
The US president offered condolences and praised UK security forces.
Among the 20 people injured by the car on Westminster Bridge are three French schoolchildren and two Romanians.
In Paris, the lights of the Eiffel Tower went out from midnight (23:00 GMT) in a tribute to the victims.
Nation with additional report from BBC
…Stresses the need for timely disbursement of N44.6billion CVFF***
Highly revered Nigerian Maritime Lawyer, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Igbokwe has urged the Nigeria Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA) to partner with ship owners and relevant association in the industry to evolving a more vibrant merchant shipping and cabotage trade regime.
Igbokwe gave the counsel during his paper presentation at the just concluded two-day stakeholders’ meeting on Cabotage waiver restrictions, organized by NIMASA.
“NIMASA and shipowners should develop merchant shipping including cabotage trade. A good start is to partner with the relevant associations in this field, such as the Nigeria Indigenous Shipowners Association (NISA), Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Oil Trade Group & Maritime Trade Group of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
“A cursory look at their vision, mission and objectives, show that they are willing to improve the maritime sector, not just for their members but for stakeholders in the maritime economy and the country”.
Adding that it is of utmost importance for NIMASA to have a through briefing and regular consultation with ships owners, in other to have insight on the challenges facing the ship owners.
“It is of utmost importance for NIMASA to have a thorough briefing and regular consultations with shipowners, to receive insight on the challenges they face, and how the Agency can assist in solving them and encouraging them to invest and participate in the maritime sector, for its development.
“NIMASA should see them as partners in progress because, if they do not invest in buying ships and registering them in Nigeria, there would be no Nigerian-owned ships in its Register and NIMASA would be unable to discharge its main objective.
The Maritime lawyer also urged NIMASA to disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF)that currently stands at about N44.6 billion.
“Lest it be forgotten, what is on the lips of almost every shipowner, is the need to disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (the CVFF’), which was established by the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act, 2003. It was established to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity, by providing financial assistance to Nigerian citizens and shipping companies wholly owned by Nigerian operating in the domestic coastal shipping, to purchase and maintain vessels and build shipping capacity.
“Research shows that this fund has grown to about N44.6billion; and that due to its non-disbursement, financial institutions have repossessed some vessels, resulting in a 43% reduction of the number of operational indigenous shipping companies in Nigeria, in the past few years.
“Without beating around the bush, to promote indigenous maritime development, prompt action must be taken by NIMASA to commence the disbursement of this Fund to qualified shipowners pursuant to the extant Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (“CVFF”) Regulations.
“Indeed, as part of its statutory functions, NIMASA is to enforce and administer the provisions of the Cabotage Act 2003 and develop and implement policies and programmes which will facilitate the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning and construction of ships and other maritime infrastructure. Disbursing the CVFF is one of the ways NIMASA can fulfill this mandate.
“To assist in this task, there must be collaboration between NIMASA, financial institutions, the Minister of Transportation, as contained in the CVFF Regulations that are yet to be implemented”, the legal guru highlighted further.
He urged the agency to create the right environment for its stakeholders to build on and engender the needed capacities to fill the gaps; and ensure that steps are being taken to solve the challenges being faced by stakeholders.
“Lastly, which is the main reason why we are all here, cessation of ministerial waivers on some cabotage requirements, which I believe is worth applause in favour of NIMASA.
“This is because it appears that the readiness to obtain/grant waivers had made some of the vessels and their owners engaged in cabotage trade, to become complacent and indifferent in quickly ensuring that they updated their capacities, so as not to require the waivers.
“The cessation of waivers is a way of forcing the relevant stakeholders of the maritime sector, to find workable solutions within, for maritime development and fill the gaps in the local capacities in 100% Nigerian crewing, ship ownership, and ship building, that had necessitated the existence of the waivers since about 15 years ago, when the Cabotage Act came into being.
“However, NIMASA must ensure that the right environment is provided for its stakeholders to build and possess the needed capacities to fill the gaps; and ensure that steps are being taken to solve the challenges being faced by stakeholders. Or better still, that they are solved within the next 5 years of its intention to stop granting waivers”, he further explained.
The Burial Ceremony of Engr. Greg Ogbeifun’s mother is live. Watch on the website: www.maritimefirstnewspaper.com and on Youtube: Maritimefirst Newspaper.
…As Valles Steamship Orders 112,000 dwt Tanker from South Korea***
A wind farm supply vessel and a cargo ship collided in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday leaving 15 injured.
The Cyprus-flagged 80-meter general cargo ship Raba collided with Denmark-flagged 31-meter wind farm supply vessel World Bora near Rügen Island, about three nautical miles off the coast of Hamburg.
Many of those injured were service engineers on the wind farm vessel, and 10 were seriously hurt.
They were headed to Iberdrola’s 350MW Wikinger wind farm. Nine of the people on board the World Bora were employees of Siemens Gamesa, two were employees of Iberdrola and four were crew.
The cause of the incident is not yet known, and no pollution has been reported.
After the collision, the two ships were able to proceed to Rügen under their own power, and the injured were then taken to hospital.
Lifeboat crews from the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service tended to them prior to their transport to hospital via ambulance and helicopter.
“Iberdrola wishes to thank the rescue services for their diligence and professionalism,” the company said in a statement.
In the meantime, the Hong Kong-based shipowner Valles Steamship has ordered a new 112,000 dwt crude oil tanker from South Korea’s Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering.
Sumitomo is to deliver the Aframax to Valles Steamship by the end of 2020, according to data provided by Asiasis.
The newbuild Aframax will join seven other Aframaxes in Valles Steamship’s fleet. Other ships operated by the company include Panamax bulkers and medium and long range product tankers.
The company’s most-recently delivered unit is the 114,426 dwt Aframax tanker Seagalaxy. The naming and delivery of the tanker took place in February 2019, at Namura Shipbuilding’s yard in Japan.
Maritime Executive with additional report from World Maritime News
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