Operatives of the Nigerian Navy are still trying to locate the whereabouts of eight sailors recently abducted by gunmen in Bayelsa State.

The sailors were reportedly abducted on the Atlantic Ocean, close to territorial waters in Brass Local Government Area of the state in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

The victims were identified as Smart Kungborde, Isaiah Ebiewe, Christopher Wisben, Gabriel Enayon, Sylvester Ovwigho, Mathew Enegbuma and Kelly Shaka.

Channels Television correspondent who identified the victims as employees of Tethys Nigeria Limited and Sylver Global Limited, said they were abducted on April 19, 2017 about 17 nautical miles, off brass terminal.

The pirates were said to have forcibly boarded the vessel after firing several gunshots in the air to scare the sailors.

The abductors were said to have robbed their victims of their valuables, and then herded them onto speedboats before sailing to an unknown destination.

Troops of the Forward Operation Base, Fomoso, at Egweama in Brass are said to have launched a manhunt for the abductors in order to free the hostages.