Piracy and Kidnapping Soar on the High Seas

Reuters to My Yahoo! ^ | Jan 28, 2004 | Neil CHatterjee

[Jack Black]

Piracy and Kidnapping Soar on the High Seas 2 hours, 56 minutes ago Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By Neil Chatterjee

LONDON (Reuters) - Violent piracy on the high seas has soared and more ships are being hijacked to kidnap the crew for ransom, an ocean crime watchdog said Wednesday.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said the number of reported ship attacks jumped to 445 in 2003, 20 percent higher than the previous year and the second highest level since it began compiling statistics in 1991.

The number of seafarers killed also climbed to 21, with another 71 crew or passengers listed as missing, while 88 were injured. This compared to 10 killed and 38 injured the previous year. The number of hostages taken also nearly doubled to 359 in 2003.

"The figures show an increase in the number of the attacks and violence of the attacks. We call upon the countries with piracy problems to give greater priority to policing their waters," said IMB director Captain Pottengal Mukundan.

The IMB said the number of ships hijacked for the theft of the vessel and its cargo had dramatically reduced, but that more vulnerable boats such as tugs and barges were being targeted and crews were being abducted for ransom.

It said kidnappings were believed to largely be the work of militia groups in politically sensitive areas. "The motivation of a militia attack is different to that of commercial pirates," Mukundan told Reuters in an interview.

"This is a revenue source for them -- but they are not interested in stealing the ship or its cargo. They are locally based groups, who don't want to go to other ports and don't have the contacts to dispose of the cargo," he said, pointing to the separatist movement in Aceh, Indonesia, as an example.

Indonesian waters continue to be the most dangerous with 121 reported attacks in 2003. The Malacca Straits, between Indonesia and Malaysia and one of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes, saw a rise to 28 attacks in 2003. Thirty percent of the world's trade and 80 percent of Japan's crude oil is transported through the narrow waterway.

Some Western intelligence agencies and maritime security experts have linked al Qaeda, or militant groups associated with it, to Indonesian piracy. Experts say al Qaeda showed its seaborne attack capability by bombing the Limburg oil tanker off Yemen in 2002 and U.S. warship USS Cole (news - web sites) in 2000.

"In 23 percent of the attacks, tankers were the targets," Mukundan said. "The fact that these ships carrying dangerous cargoes may be temporarily under the control of unauthorized individuals remains a matter of concern.

"We have also seen, for the first time, ships being attacked simultaneously by a number of small pirate boats, firing weapons at the bridge of the vessel," he said.

NEED FOR PATROLS

Bangladesh was ranked as having the second highest number of attacks in 2003 with 58 and Nigeria came third with 39. Attacks off Nigeria almost tripled compared to the previous year and the IMB regards it as the most dangerous area in Africa for piracy and armed robbery.

Mukundan said commercial pirates are often backed by organized international crime gangs, that obtain false papers for a ship, so they can change its route to a new port. The gangs are attracted to cargoes that are easy to resell, such as fuel oil, rice or sugar, Mukundan said.

Modern-day pirates often attack using sub-machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The IMB said the number of attacks using guns rose to 100 from 68 the previous year.

However, some countries saw a reduction in piracy. Somalia had a 50 percent drop in reported attacks, although the IMB said the eastern and north-eastern coast of the African country remained a high-risk area for hijackings and kidnapping of crew for ransom.

Other countries with fewer attacks in the past year included Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Guyana and Thailand. Malaysian waters saw a fall to only five attacks, with none reported in the last six months of 2003, which the IMB said was due to vigilant patrols by the Malaysian marine police.

"Some kinds of attacks and attacks in certain areas have dramatically reduced. This proves once again that when law enforcement agencies take these attacks seriously there will be a corresponding reduction in attacks," Mukundan said.

[Jack Black]

As an occassional ocean sailor I am well aware of this. Many, if not most, countries do not permit sailboats to dock with weapons aboard, thereby enforcing a unarmed victim status on people. There sure ain't no "911" on the high seas, so this is particularly pathetic. A couple FN's and a .50 semi-auto would be my arms of choice for a long ocean journey.

[Travis McGee]

Guns on yachts is a difficult subject. Damed if you do, or don't.

[Jack Black]

Funny, I was just going to ping you. Yeah, what's your take on this. Didn't feel the need for them on the trip to Bermuda, not much out there. Miami to Nassau is well traveled, but again, particularly in the 1980s was overrun with drug pirates. A favorite tactic was to steal a nice cruising yacht and kill the crew, use it to get the drugs to the USA and then scuttle it or sell it on the black market.

I distinctly enjoyed seeing the US Coast Guard overfly our boat at about 20 feet off the water in a small jet. They were off to the side and I'm pretty sure they use some kind of high speed camera to take pictures. We were a few hours from Miami and I'm sure they knew who we were before we got there.

Hows the new book coming?

[Sam Cree]

Interesting article on a subject that you may have some knowledge of. It's all very reminiscent of the days when the Indiamen were the prey of privateers.

There have even been some instances of piracy in the Bahamas, some of it, but not all, related to the drug trade that goes through there. In the 80's, when I was there a lot, we carried a fair size arsenal, which included an AR-15. I still take that when I go there, even though I'm just on a small 28 foot open boat these days.

[aodell]

Why should the high seas be any different from the dry land?

[pointsal]

ping....

[Agnes Heep]

Har, Matey! Whar's me cabin boy?

[Lokibob]

 

http://www.iccwbo.org/ccs/imb_piracy/weekly_piracy_report.asp

 

Weekly Piracy Report

20 - 26 January 2004

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 20 - 26 January 2004.

Warning - Tema anchorage, Ghana

Pirates are active at Tema anchorage. Three incidents were reported between 17.01.2004 and 22.01.2004.

Actual or attempted incidents

	23.01.2004 at 1215 UTC in position: 01:11S - 116:46E, Balikpapan anchorage, Indonesia. Ten pirates armed with knives boarded a bulk carrier. They assaulted duty A/B, threatened him with knives and tied him up. They stole property and escaped by climbing down anchor chain. At the time ship was undergoing cargo operations with barges on both sides and stevedores on board. One armed policeman was on board during the attack. Master notified port authorities.
	22.01.2004 at 0255 LT at Tema anchorage, Ghana. Seven pirates in a boat attempted to board a reefer ship. Again at 0350 LT about twenty pirates in two boats attempted to board the same ship. On both occasions alert crew repelled boarding. Incidents were reported to port authorities but no response was received. Master reported that pirates later boarded another ship nearby and stole personal effects and valuables from crew.
	22.01.2004 at 0030 UTC at 0.7 miles from break water, Tema anchorage, Ghana. Three pirates boarded a reefer ship at anchor. They stole stores and escaped. Master informed port control.

Piracy prone areas and warnings

S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent

Bangladesh - Chittagong and Mongla at berth and anchorage. Theft of zinc anodes welded to ship's sides and stern.

India - Chennai, Cochin

Indonesia - Anambas Island, Balikpapan, Bintan Island, Dumai, Gaspar (Gelasa) Straits, Pulau Laut, Samarinda, Tanjong Priok (Jakarta).

Malacca straits - avoid anchoring along the Indonesian coast of the straits. Coast near Aceh is particularly risky for hijackings.

Philippines - Manila

Vietnam - Haipong, Vung Tau

Africa and Red Sea

Gulf of Aden

Somalian Waters - Eastern and Northeastern coasts are high-risk areas for hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should keep at least 75 miles and if possible 100 miles from the coast. Use of radio communications including VHF in these waters should be kept to a minimum.

West Africa: Bonny River, Conakry, Dakar, Dar Es Salaam, Lagos, Tema, Warri.

South and Central America and the Caribbean waters

Brazil - Belem
Colombia - Buena Ventura
Dominican republic - Rio Haina
Guyana - Georgetown
Jamaica - Kingston
Peru - Callao
Venezuela - Puerto Cabello

[wardaddy]

I'd never leave dock without em.

and there are parts of the world, I would avoid sailing....Moluccan Straits, West Coast Colombia, Philipine Archipelago, etc.
Some of those raiders are armoured and carry heavy guns/cannons....and take no prisoners except yer women.

Some things never change.

[Travis McGee]

I think every area is different. Bahamas are great now, and they let you bring guns. Australia-SE Asia is terrible. The Aussies and most countries crucify you for your USA legal weapons, make it very difficult and expensive. But I would not go near Indonesia or the Philippines unarmed. Damned if you do....

"Domestic Enemies" is still in a very preliminary stage, I'm still formulating an outline....thanks for asking.

[Travis McGee]

Exactly. I'd just avoid a lot of areas, and do straits transits at night center channel on full alert, ready to fight.

[harpseal]

When crusing I will carry appropriate firearms and carefully select where I go inside territirial waters.

[Travis McGee]

I'd be happy just sailing between Key West and the Turks and Caicos! The Bahamas are an entire constellation!

[wardaddy]

It's been so long, I'd be happy with a pontoon boat on Dale Hollow Lake (in a few months).

One of my closest pals has the charter at Little Palm and keeps his Hylas 50 there.....we talk weekly and I do the vicarious thing..lol

[Squantos]

I choose .....damned if I do.....:o)

Stay Safe !

[Rebelbase]

From another article on the same subject.

[Lazamataz]

Guns on yachts is a difficult subject.

Guns are denser than water. Things get dropped off boats on occasion. ;^)

[Travis McGee]

Very true, and a good reason to keep inexpensive guns on boats. But the problem comes when entering a new country and going through customs: to declare, or not to declare?

In some countries, declaring your USA legal semi-auto is like declaring 5KG of plutonium or heroin. No end to hassles, you would not believe the expensive and time consuming hoops one must go through: hiring armed bonded guards to transport your firearms to a state armory for starters. Leaving the country by the same port in order to recover your arms. (Imagine this on an around the world cruise involving a country like Australia or Indonesia.)

And if you don't declare them, and they are found (data base, snitches, hard searching, whatever) then you may serve 20 years in a cell out of Midnight Express, your boat is taken, etc. Not a pleasant alternative.