Maritime agency sounds West Africa piracy alarm

A spate of ship hijackings off West Africa indicates the region could emerge as a new piracy "hotspot", a global maritime watchdog has warned.

Continued increase in piracy incidents 'alarming'

Pirates kidnapped a record number of seafarers in 2010 in an "alarming" escalation of the crisis centred on Somalia, a maritime watchdog says.

Surge in number of pirate attacks

Pirate attacks worldwide more than doubled in the first half of 2009, amid a surge of raids in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia.

Somali pirates hijack British, Taiwan vessels

Pirates seized a British-owned ship and a Taiwan-registered fishing boat after taking three vessels last weekend, officials said on Tuesday.

Pirates haul tankers to Somali coast

Pirates were taking two European-owned tankers to Somali coastal havens on Friday and are likely to demand ransoms soon.

Somali pirates in spate of new attacks

Heavily armed Somali pirates attacked six ships earlier this week but all managed to escape, a global maritime watchdog said on Friday.

Somali pirates hijack Malaysian, Turkish ships

Pirates have hijacked a Turkish cargo ship and a Malaysian tug boat and attacked three other vessels in the Gulf of Aden in the past week.

Somali pirates demand $25m for Saudi oil tanker

Somali pirates who hijacked Saudi oil supertanker Sirius Star on Thursday demanded $25-million in ransom and set a 10-day deadline.

Egypt calls urgent meeting to fight Somali piracy

Egypt has called an urgent meeting of Arab countries bordering the Red Sea to combat piracy off Somalia, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

India sends warships to Somali waters

India has deployed its navy in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia to protect Indian commercial vessels from pirates, news reports said on Friday.

Somali pirates hijack another ship, says watchdog

Somali pirates hijacked a Philippines-managed bulk carrier with 21 sailors aboard on Wednesday, a maritime watchdog said.

Somali pirate attacks 'at a critical level'

Somali pirates attacked four ships in what a maritime piracy watchdog said on Friday was a "critical level" of attacks in the Gulf of Aden.

Piracy threatens Suez Canal trade

The increase in piracy in the Gulf of Aden could trigger a humanitarian and environmental disaster in the Horn of Africa, a report warns.

Terror on the high seas: The brutal return of piracy

Linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important trading routes. It is also the most feared.

Somali pirates a growing threat to shipping

Rapidly spreading lawlessness as Somalia collapses in the worst fighting for two nearly decades is fuelling a wave of piracy.

Somali pirates seize another ship

Pirates have seized another vessel, a German cargo ship, off the coast of Somalia, the International Maritime Bureau said on Friday.

Two more vessels seized by pirates off Somali coast

Two vessels have been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the International Maritime Bureau said on Thursday.

Africa tops list of world piracy hot spots

Africa remains a piracy hot spot following a spike in attacks in the second quarter of 2008, a marine watchdog said on Friday.

Ship seized by pirates off Somalia was German owned

One of the two cargo freighters hijacked off the Somali coast this week was a German owned vessel registered in Gibraltar, a Kenyan maritime official said Friday. The MV Lehmann Timber seized on Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden, was managed by Kehdisgerland GMBH.

Nigeria becomes world piracy hot spot

Nigeria has become the world piracy "hot spot", with its prized oil industry a particular target, and the raiders have exposed flaws in the country's security. Despite the massive revenues earned from oil, officials concede Nigeria is ill-equipped to combat pirates who ply the seas with speed boats, modern machine guns and radios.

IN THIS WEEK'S PAPER

SUBSCRIBE:
- Paper edition
- iPad edition (NEW!)
- Kindle edition
- Digital edition


Read stories online

@mailandguardian - Top stories & newsflashes
@NicDawes - M&G editor Nic Dawes
@ChrisRoperZA - Editor, M&G Online
@amabhungane - M&G Centre for Investigative Journ
@mgfeed - Our whole news feed

Sponsored links

	Business travel experts		Flowers & gifts
	Domestic & Regional Airline		Bulk SMS gateway