U.S. agrees to help find Benin slave ship

COTONOU, Benin (CNN) -- The United States agreed Monday to help look for a rusty freighter believed to be carrying more than 100 children, maybe as many as 250, intended for sale as slaves, the Benin government said.

The Benin government said the MV Etirino was refused entry at two African ports over the past week after apparently leaving Cotonou, Benin, about 10 days ago.

It was last seen after being turned away from a port in Cameroon.

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Government officials said U.S. Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater had offered U.S. assistance in finding the ship. Benin officials are calling the situation "a national disaster."

The ship is believed to be carrying at least 100 and perhaps as many as 250 children intended for sale as unpaid domestic and plantation workers.

An international arrest warrant has been issued for Stanislas Abatan, a Benin businessman who the government said is believed to be behind a slave-trade ring. Warrants were also issued for the owners of the Nigerian freighter, its captain and crew.

Benin officials said they feared the captain of the ship had already dropped off his child passengers along the African coast.

Benin police await 'slave' ship
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Benin searches for child slave ship
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UNICEF
Benin Government

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