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A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Thai crew members of the 'Chayanee Naree' for trafficking 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria from Brazil through the Apapa seaport. The convicted sailors are Krilerk Tanakhan, Boonlert Hansoongnern, Jakkarin Booncharoen, Thammarong Put-tlek, Worrapat Paopinta, Marut Kantaprom, Werapat Somboonying, Urkit Amsri, Panudet Jaisuk, and Amrat Thawom. They were arrested alongside nine Nigerian suspects on Oct 13, 2021 and arraigned in February 2022 on charges bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful importation of narcotic. On May 15, 2025, the trial judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, delivered the judgment following a plea bargain agreement entered into by the convicted crew members with the NDLEA. Justice Osiagor convicted the vessel under Section 11(a) of the NDLEA Act and imposed a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent for its role in smuggling the illicit drug into Nigeria. The convicted sailors opted for a plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA and as a result, Justice Osiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of the matter. Among other penalties, the judge convicted the 'Chayanee Naree' for unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria and ordered to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent. The 2nd – 11th defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act for permitting the use of the vessel for the unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants were ordered to pay N100,000.00 each as punishment for the offence and in addition restitution in the sum of $50,000 each or its equivalent in Naira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 5th – 11th defendants are to pay N100,000.00 each and restitution in the sum of $30,000.00, bringing the total amount payable to $4,360,000.00. Justice Osiagor adjourned the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June 25.

On May 14, 2025,, the new Russian corvette "Merkuriy" was shadowed by the 'Echwege' as she left the Baltic Sea. Apparently, there is a connection to the ongoing negotiations on a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The "Merkuriy" had completed a maintenance break in the Baltic Sea and is said to be on its way to the Mediterranean. The "Merkuriy" was delivered just two years ago by the Severnaya Shipyard in St. Petersburg as the first of two "Steregutchichiy"-class corvettes for the Black Sea Fleet. 12 units have been laid down since 2006 at shipyards in St. Petersburg and on the Amur River. Following the initial delivery of four units each to the Baltic Fleet and the Pacific Fleet, two new ships are now being built for the Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Sevastopol on the temporary Russian occupied Crimea. The "Merkuriy" has not yet been able to be transferred to its home port of Sevastopol, as Turkey denied the ship the passage through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus in 2024 due to Russia's war against the Ukraine. The 'Merkuriy's' passage into the Mediterranean can also be interpreted as a sign that Russia is counting on being able to pass through the Bosphorus again soon. Russia currently has several frigates and support vessels in the Mediterranean, including the Black Sea Fleet frigate "Admiral Grigorovich," which was spotted near the Syrian coast in early May. The corvette "Soobraztelniy," a sister of the "Merkuriy," is also currently in the Mediterranean off the Algerian coast along with the Russian naval tanker "Kola," which serves as a floating refueling station. The military convoy that left the Baltic Sea on May 2 was also seen in the area this week. This convoy consists of the corvette "Boikiy" and three freighters carrying military supplies for Africa. The Russian Navy's activities along German waters were shadowed by Federal Police patrol vessels. The "Eschwege" from Neustadt, originally deployed as a training ship, was also in the Baltic Sea. It had to track the "Merkuriy" in the Fehmarn Belt at high speed. The Danish and Polish navies also deployed patrol units. The "Merkuriy" passed through the German economic zone and the Fehmarn Belt without any incidents in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. Report with photos: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/russische-fregatte-der-schwarzmeerflotte-auf-dem-weg-ins-mittelmeer-MSR526U7U5HKZDFPNHYZC5NIKI.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawKTHb5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqCurDXw_54pAunaU3kUAbeu_DkjYJo5pwLPJMnDjf8TQOQG4HN1s6hEN4m6_aem_QqRLlA1FFjlU3pma181lqw#Echobox=1747317849

On May 12, a passenger was suffering from an urgent mecidal issue and needed to be medevaced from the 'Disney Fantasy', while the ship was heading toward Lisbon, during the ship’s 13-night sailing, a one-way transatlantic cruise from Port Canaveral to Barcelona. On May 14, a military helicopter approached the ship in the early evening. An emergency responder was loweredon to the foreship. The patient was loaded onto a lift basket, and both were raised up to the helicopter. Once the basket had been safely loaded into the helicopter, the aircraft took the affected individual to more extensive land-based care. Report with video: https://www.cruisehive.com/amazingly-efficient-operation-to-airlift-guest-from-disney-ship/173983

The man who died on board the 'MSC Virtuosa' following an altercation on May 3, has been named as James Messham, 60, from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. A 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been released on bail, pending further inquiries by Hampshire Constabulary. Proceedings into the death had not yet been opened. Messham was part of a stag party on board the cruise ship, which was in British waters at the time.

The 'Seven Seas Explorer arrived in Vancouver, British Colombia, on May 14, 2025, after a repositioning journey across the Pacific Ocean, during which 22 of the 666 passengers and two members of the 545 crew membersbecame victims of a gastrointestinal outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received word from the ship’s medical team after the ship pulled into port. It had departed from Tokyo on April 26, with passengers beginning to fall ill to symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. The cause of the outbreak was unknown, but norovirus was a likely cause. The affected passengers and crew members were isolated and deep cleaning procedures commenced.