Somali Piracy On Increase Again For Shipping

Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-06-20 10:38:02
Topic: Piracy
Countries: Somalia

Piracy attacks against shipping off the Somali coast are again on the increase. Last month there were several attacks, with crew taken hostage and large ransoms demanded. Pirates are becoming more sophisticated, and equipped with GPS and satellite phones are able to strike 200 miles or more off the coast.

There have been no incidents of yachts attacked. Most vulnerable are the ships delivering much-needed aid on behalf of the World Food Programme, to Somalia, a country which has been without effective government since 1991. Much of the country is ruled by local militias, believed largely to be responsible for the piracy.

In June of last year the Union of Islamic Courts took control of southern Somalia and there was a marked decline in piracy as the UIC punished pirates according to sharia law and in one case even apprehended pirates that had taken over a ship. In December the UIC was routed by Ethiopian-backed forces and since then local warlords have regained power with the interim government having little or no control over them.

The International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre advises all vessels to sail at least 200 nautical miles from the Somali shore.