Gulf of Aden attacks rocket 200% to highest ever levels
Unprecedented piracy revealed in IMB figures
Helen Kelly and Richard Meade - 星期一 19 一月 2009
INCIDENTS of piracy and armed attacks against shipping have risen at an unprecedented rate over the past 12 months, according to the latest figures published by the International Maritime Bureau.
The piracy reporting organisation recorded a total of 293 incidents in its annual report for 2008, an 11% increase compared with 2007 figures. Attacks offshore Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, however, rocketed 200% last year according to the report.
The figures represented the highest rise in reported hostage taking and hijackings ever recorded by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre.
“The 2008 statistics surpass all figures recorded by the PRC since it began its worldwide reporting function in 1991,” said IMB Piracy Reporting Centre director Pottengal Mukundan. “This is due, primarily, to the situation in Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, with a total of 42 vessels hijacked and 815 crew taken hostage.”
Worldwide, a total number of 49 vessels were hijacked, 889 crew taken hostage and a further 46 vessels reported being fired upon. Thirty-two crew were injured, 11 killed and 21 missing, presumed dead.
While reported hijackings and attacks have decreased significantly over the past two months, Capt Mukundam has stressed that it is too early to declare the naval anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia a complete success.
“We are encouraged by recent efforts to tackle Somali piracy and hope that more governments will continue to devote more assets to the region and provide adequate rules of engagement to the naval commanders to allow them to actively deploy in seizing pirate vessels, boats, arms and related equipment as called for in UNSCR 1851,” he said. “International navies are the only ones capable of effective response against piracy in the region and can help to secure the safety and security of this major maritime trade route.”
The IMB report was published just as Somalian pirates released Danish general cargoship CEC Future, which was captured on November 7 en route to Indonesia carrying 6,000 tonnes of steel. The 7,120 dwt vessel had been held captive for more than two months with 13 crew members onboard, all of whom have been released unharmed.
Copenhagen-based shipowner Clipper Group declined to disclose the exact amount of ransom paid, but confirmed that the “going rate” was between $1m-$2m per vessel. The ransom was air-dropped by parachute to the pirates’ vessel.
Yemeni fishermen were less lucky on Tuesday last week, with two killed and two more injured in clashes with pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
Yemen News Agency reported that the Yemeni coastguard found three injured fishermen onboard two boats near a Russian frigate, one of whom died despite receiving first aid.
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