Reports indicate that on Monday, armed robbers boarded the tanker San Ramón at an anchorage off Isla Borracha, Venezuela, and killed the vessel’s master in an altercation.
According to a report in The Maritime Executive, the victim has been identified by Venezuelan media as Capt. Jaime Herrera Orozco, 58, a Colombian national.
Reports indicate that six armed men in masks boarded the San Ramón on Monday morning, intending to rob the vessel. Capt. Orozco reportedly attempted to resist and was shot and killed. The robbers proceeded to steal valuables from the ship, then fled in a boat.
One additional crew member from the San Ramón is missing after going over the side to escape the attackers, The Maritime Executive said in its report. A Venezuelan coast guard official was reportedly injured in the incident.
At the time of the attack, the San Ramón was anchored near the Venezuelan port of Barcelona, awaiting a decision from Venezuelan authorities on allegations of fuel smuggling.
