Somali pirates break records in fruitful raids

20.10.2010 Number of successful raids carried out by Somali pirates in nine months of 2010 became a five-year record. Amount of captured vessels (sometimes hijacked over 1,000 miles off Somalia) has reached 39 in comparison to 34 incidents in 2009 and only 11 – in 2006, reported London-headquartered International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

According to the report, the first case of vessel hijacking in the Red Sea was recently registered.

Somali pirates boarded 128 vessels in Jan-Oct 2010; they used firearms in 137 incidents and cold arms – in 66. Crews of 70 vessels managed to repel pirate attacks. According to the IMB information, one man was killed during the assaults, 27 were wounded and 773 are held hostages.

At the same time, total number of pirate attacks conducted worldwide in Jan-Sept 2010 has been reduced a bit in comparison to analogous period of 2009, says the report. Primarily, that is because of international anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

IMB-controlled piracy monitoring center in Kuala Lumpur registered 289 piracy-related incidents occurred worldwide in Jan-Sept 2010, while last year there were 306 attacks.

Also, International Maritime Bureau noted persisting downtrend of pirate assaults in the Gulf of Aden. Forty four attacks happened there in the reporting period as opposed to 100 incidents in Jan-Sept 2009.

However, pirates have become more active in the South China Sea; number of attacks carried out there in nine months of 2010 has been grown thrice – up to 30 incidents. Increasing number of pirate attacks near Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nigeria was also mentioned in the IMB report.

Somali pirates still remain the major threat to world maritime shipping. This year they have managed to capture 27 vessels with 544 crewmen on board. Somalia can not settle the piracy problem because it ceased to exist as a united state far back in 1991 – after downfall of Mohammed Siad Barre who had been a dictator since late 60's.

Global community presently recognizes Federal Government of Somalia as the only legal power in the country; however, the named authority controls only a part of capital city Mogadishu and a number of outlying districts.

Anti-piracy activity at Somali coast is held within the framework of EUNAVFOR – Operation Atalanta which was launched in 2008, and NATO Operation Ocean Shield started in 2009. Aside from the primary task – counter-piracy measures – the latter operation has some additional objectives. It is also oriented at assistance to regional countries in their own anti-piracy efforts. Russian warships also attend the international initiative.