Beware of Pirates. And we are not referring to the Pittsburg Pirates. According to a maritime watchdog, pirate kidnapping among seafarers hit a record number in 2010.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that pirates hijacked 53 ships and kidnapped 1,181 seafarers in 2010. This number reflects a 10 percent increase from the previous year. The IMB reports that the number of global pirate attacks has risen every year for the past four years.
“These figures for the number of hostages and vessels taken are the highest we have ever seen,” said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Center. “The continued increase in these numbers is alarming.”
The coast of Somalia has seen the majority of these hijackings, accounting for 92 percent of all ship seizures. Somali pirates hijacked 49 vessels and kidnapped 1,106 maritime crew members in 2010. Twenty-eight vessels and 638 hostages are still being held for ransom.
“They (Somalia pirates) capture the crew and force them to sail within attacking distance of other unsuspecting vessels,” said Mr. Mukundan.
Somali pirates have reportedly been traveling further into the Mozambique Channel and the Indian Ocean, operating in a range that has been described as “unprecedented”.
Elsewhere, pirate incidents rose in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the South China Sea over the last year.
Category: Maritime Injuries Resources
To reply to this message, enter your reply in the box labeled "Message", hit "Post Message."
