Africa 'remains piracy hotspot'

2008-07-11 13:21

Kuala Lumpur - Africa remains a piracy hotspot after a spike in attacks in the second quarter of 2008, a marine watchdog said on Friday, with Somali and Nigerian waters the most dangerous for seafarers.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recorded 114 pirate attacks worldwide in the first six months of 2008, slightly less than 126 incidents last year, but noted that attacks had been increasing quarter by quarter.

"The frequency and level of violence directed at seafarers is cause for alarm. The abduction of crew and the increasing use of automatic weapons remain unacceptable," London-based IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said in a statement.

In the second quarter of 2008, there were 62 reported pirate attacks worldwide, compared with 52 in the first three months. Somalia recorded 24 of the attacks, the highest in the period, followed by Nigeria with 18.

The IMB report said: "The rise is directly attributed to increased pirate activity off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden particularly."

Indonesia 'remains at third spot'

Of the 24 Somali attacks, 19 occurred in the Gulf of Aden off the north coast, from only seven in the same period last year. It was now the number one piracy hotspot in the world this quarter.

"In the Gulf of Aden at least eight vessels reported being fired upon by pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons," the IMB said.

Most of the Nigerian attacks took place off Lagos - an increasingly dangerous port.

Indonesia remained at the third spot with 13 reported attacks but the watchdog said attacks in the Southeast Asian country's waters were on the decrease.

Worldwide, in the first six months of the year 190 crew members were taken hostage, six kidnapped and seven killed while seven others were missing presumed dead, the IMB said.

The bureau urged seafarers to remain on high alert in the waters off Somalia, which had emerged as among the most dangerous, with no functioning government in the country for the past 17 years.

Meanwhile it said the busy Malacca Strait, which separated Malaysia and Indonesia recorded only two incidents in the first half of 2008, unchanged from a year ago.

The watchdog credited the numerous joint patrols by Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore for suppressing pirate attacks in the key waterway, which handled 30% of global sea traffic.

- AFP