MONROVIA, Liberia- Liberian security agencies have launched an investigation after an unmanned cargo vessel was spotted drifting off the country’s western coastline near York Island in Tewor District, Grand Cape Mount County.
The vessel, identified as IB Atlantic IV Moroni, has remained in the area for nearly a week, prompting concern among residents and local authorities over its origin, condition, and potential security implications.
According to local security officials, including border patrol officers stationed in Grand Cape Mount County, repeated attempts to reach the vessel have so far been unsuccessful because of its location offshore and prevailing conditions at sea.
The unexplained appearance of the ship has drawn the attention of county authorities, who are urging the Ministry of Justice and other national security institutions to determine why the vessel entered Liberian waters and whether it poses any threat to public safety, national security, or the marine environment.
A Verity News review of maritime tracking records identified the vessel as IB Atlantic IV Moroni, a dry bulk cargo ship sailing under the flag of Comoros. Maritime data shows the ship was built in 1985 and measures approximately 88 meters in length and 11 meters in width.
According to vessel-tracking information, the ship carries IMO number 8502133, MMSI 620999913, and Call Sign D6A3912. It has a deadweight capacity of about 2,362 tonnes and is classified as a mini bulk carrier.
Available Automatic Identification System (AIS) data indicates that the vessel’s last recorded departure was from Guinea-Bissau on July 1, 2026. The tracking information further shows that it is now located within Liberia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether there is anyone on board or whether contact has been established with the vessel’s owners or operators. The circumstances surrounding its presence in Liberian waters remain under investigation.
The incident has revived memories of a similar case in May 2016, when the Panama-flagged vessel Timaya 1 drifted into the waters of Grand Cape Mount County after reportedly being abandoned at sea.
Security agencies say investigations are in continuing as they work to establish the vessel’s ownership, its recent movements, and the circumstances that brought it into Liberian waters.
