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| Africa Horn | |
| Piracy attacks tripled in 2009 | |
| 2010-01-17 | |
| Pirate attacks around the world have more than tripled in 2009 according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). In its annual report which was published on Thursday, it said that suspected Somali pirates account for more than half of the 406 reported incidents. The news comes after Germany announced it was sending a new ship, the Emden, to the Gulf of Aden, the narrow channel between Somalia and Yemen, where piracy has been concentrated in recent years. According to the IMB, Somali pirates ventured further out to sea last year to capture dozens of ships and collect millions of dollars in ransom. A total of 1,052 crew members were taken hostage, 68 injured and eight killed in 2009, it said. Pirates are now more desperate to hijack ships. Recent attacks, at distances of over 1,000 nautical miles from Mogadishu, indicate the capability of the Somali pirates," the report added. Speaking to Deutsche Welle, IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said that Atalanta had been extremely successful so far, but that more naval resources were needed in new areas. "The Gulf of Aden is pretty well policed at the moment. There was an extended period of several months when there were no hijackings there at all," he said. "But there are a lot of hijackings on the Indian Ocean side, and there is very little naval cover. If countries can afford to send more ships, they are vitally needed." In the Gulf of Aden, 116 successful or attempted attacks took place, compared with 92 in 2008. Large carriers were targeted most often. "As of December 31, suspected Somali pirates were holding 12 vessels for ransom with 263 crew-members of various nationalities as hostages," the IMB report said. The report also pointed to a rise in the number of attacks in other areas, especially the South China Seas, where there was the largest number of hijackings for five years. On top of this, piracy around South America more than doubled in 2009. But attacks in the Malacca Strait, which was a world piracy hotspot just a few years ago, remained at just two in 2009, the same as the previous year, the IMB said.
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| #5 I've often stated that this type of piracy goes far beyond Somalia; it's organized crime ...which may well be the world's largest economic sector now. Chalk it up to a) globalization and b) the retreat from democracy and transparency over the last 15 years or so that has brought us a raft of thuggish bandit states like Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine, Argentina etc |
| Posted by: lex 2010-01-17 19:12 |
| #4 Actually, a few things need to happen: 1. Jack up maritime insurance rates for ships transiting the area and to-from certain ports, to the point of pain. The risk is putting oil prices out of whack and perhaps damage some economies, but it will put pressure on certain nations. 2. Start tracing and dismantling the criminal network. I've often stated that this type of piracy goes far beyond Somalia; it's organized crime. 3. A complete blockade of Somalia. Board and inspect all ships entering or leaving ports or transiting Somali waters. Force down and inspect all aircraft entering Somali airspace. 4. Set up convoys, assign areas to specific navies, establish a unified joint anti-piracy command and intel-coordination center, etc. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-01-17 19:05 |
| #3 So much for the kinder gentler approach. The first front in this war is to hold the legal community to the fire for obstructing and irrational behaviors in face of reality till they cry uncle. Piracy is ipso facto plain evidence the it is not a civilized world and that civilized law does not work in ending it. We all know what the solution is because its been done before. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-01-17 16:47 |
| #2 One R/T from Diego Garcia to Hobyo or Eyl with BUFFS would readjust their idle screws and get them sailing straight. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2010-01-17 13:13 |
| #1 Maybe everybody else is waiting for the US to attack the problem? |
| Posted by: Tom--Pa 2010-01-17 10:02 |