寻找在尼日利亚近海被海盗绑架的美国人的工作继续进行

Nigerian authorities are continuing their search for two American men kidnapped by pirates off the Gulf of Guinea.

The captain and chief engineer of a U.S.-flagged oil supply vessel were taken Wednesday during an attack in international waters off the coast of Nigeria.

The 68-meter C-Retriever is owned by the U.S. oil servicing company Edison Chouest Offshore, which has not commented on the situation.

U.S. officials say the vessel and the rest of its crew were released by the pirates. It is not clear if the American men are still at sea or were taken to land.

The Nigerian military has ordered a search and rescue operation. Officials have refused to say whether the U.S. military is also involved.

U.S. defense officials say they are monitoring the situation, noting that the closest U.S. military contingent is a Marine Corps training unit in the Gulf of Guinea.