By MOZTIMES
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The Russian oceanographic vessel Atlantida K-1704 is en route back to the port of Maputo after coming under a terrorist armed attack off the coast of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, on Saturday, 10 May.
According to maritime traffic data, the vessel departed Maputo for northern Mozambique at 17:51 on 21 March 2025, and is now returning, with arrival scheduled for 08:00 on 17 May.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Russian Embassy in Mozambique reported that the Atlantida K-1704 docked in Maputo on 17 March 2025, carrying Russian specialists from the AtlantNIRO Institute, which specialises in oceanographic and fisheries research. In collaboration with Mozambique’s National Institute of Hydrography and Navigation (INAHINA), the mission aimed to conduct acoustic and trawl surveys to assess marine biological resources in Mozambican waters.
The research forms part of the “Great African Expedition 2024–2026”, a large-scale project studying marine biomass in Mozambique and conducting expeditionary research across the waters of West Africa and the western Indian Ocean. To date, the mission includes both Russian and Mozambican scientists, with the programme expected to last around six weeks.
The attack on the vessel occurred at approximately 15:20 on 10 May, when the Atlantida K-1704 was approached by two fast boats around four nautical miles east of Tambuzi Island.
Security sources report that the insurgents opened fire on the vessel, which was clearly identified as a foreign research ship. The crew managed to evade the attack by navigating into deeper waters, out of reach of the assailants.
So far, there has been no official statement on the incident. While insurgents have previously targeted fishing boats in the islands of Mocímboa da Praia and Macomia districts (Quirimbas Archipelago), this marks the first time a foreign-flagged vessel has been attacked. (MT)
