Did pirates nab missing scientists around Papua New Guinea?

Odd little report "Missing scientists may be in hands of pirates":

Police say five scientists with Papua New Guinea's Institute of Medical Research, who went missing in August this year may have been kidnapped by pirates.

They were on a research on malaria related diseases in Kimbe in PNG's West New Britain province when they were reported missing.

Provincial Police Commander, Anthon Billy says they may have been kidnapped by pirates.

He says a member of a suspected piracy gang has been arrested and questioned over the five missing scientists.

More here:

The scientists have been missing for more than two months, but police say a tip-off from local villagers has lead them to believe that the group were the victims of piracy.

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They say an informant claims to have seen the two women from the research team alive, and that they are bing held hostage on the tiny and densely-forested

Mulgani Island.

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The body of the boat's skipper was believed to have washed up on Manus Island last month.

Mr Billie [New Guinea Islands regional commander] said he believed the male scientists had been killed in the raid, with a police informant saying the skipper was shot in the moments after the pirates boarded the boat.

Sounds like a TV "movie of the week" plot by a hack screenwriter.

Explosive Warning: Containers Off Papua New Guinea

A warning of a couple of containers adrift of Papua New Guinea with a potential punch:

Shipping operators with vessels off the north-western coast of Papua New Guinea have been warned to watch out for two explosive-filled containers that are floating in the area.
The two containers were among eleven that were lost off the MV Linir Express on Sunday in heavy sea conditions off the Huon Gulf district. It’s possible that the containers may be submerged below the surface and therefore pose a considerable risk to shipping in the area.
The PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) has issued a warning stating:
“All vessels entering and leaving Lae port or passing through the area are to navigate with extreme caution and report any container sightings indicating their position to the NMSA in Port Moresby. Some containers may contain explosives.
“Government authorities responsible for removing explosives from danger zones, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force's Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit, had been informed about the incident on Wednesday.”
The type of explosive has not been revealed with official statements simply stating the containers carried were a Type B substance.

Such containers may be hard to see, though their explosiveness may be overstated.

I wouldn't want to test them, though.