| Sea pirates seemed to be brave robbers and | | | | seashores during a piratic attack. Attacks of large |
| fearless adventurers in children's books. Pirate | | | | merchant ships also happen, but rarer. They are |
| attacks in the modern world are made by | | | | the most attractive target for the pirates. IMB |
| dangerous criminals who become more and more | | | | director, Captain Mukundan, said: "These |
| impudent. There were 325 pirate attacks | | | | operations are enough difficult, three-four ships |
| registered on the whole planet in 2004 and 445 | | | | are involved in them. The attack is made out of |
| attacks a year before. Experts explained the | | | | them. Pirates are usually well prepared physically |
| decline of cases with activation of patrolling of | | | | and quite merciless in achieving of their aims". |
| Malaysia and Indonesia coasts. | | | | Responsibility for such attacks was laid on |
| Pirate Attacks are Getting More Cruel Strait of | | | | Indonesian rebels in the past, but they are not |
| Malacca between Indonesia and Malaysia is a long, | | | | considered the main offenders now. "Difficult |
| narrow and very busy passage. It accounts for | | | | pirate attacks are financed by the organized |
| more than a quarter of the whole world's volume | | | | crime, with groupings which have enough |
| of cargo transportation and a quarter of all pirate | | | | resources, - Captain Pottengal Mukundan explains. |
| attacks. Decisive actions are required from the | | | | - They have networks by which they sell |
| governments of this region. Then the cases of | | | | captured goods, and places where they can hold |
| pirate attacks began to increase again. | | | | stolen members of crew to ransom". In a number |
| International Marine Bureau (IMB) reported that | | | | of cases pirates killed crews with its full |
| the number of ships attacked by pirates at blue | | | | complement and took the management of ships |
| water increased 10% in 2007 as compared with | | | | upon themselves. |
| the previous year. 263 pirate attackes in 2007 | | | | Pirates Attacked a Tanker In 1998 in the South |
| were registered against 239 in 2006. This is | | | | China Sea they captured the Petro Ranger tanker |
| foremost due to incidents of pirate attacks near | | | | and maid sailors to teach them how to steer the |
| the shores of East cental and Western Africa. | | | | ship. Then they compelled one of hostages to |
| The number of pirate attacks by East Central | | | | write a new name on the side and changed the |
| Africa seashores grew from 10 to 31, by | | | | Singaporean flag to Honduranian one. The tanker |
| Western Africa - from 12 to 42. The all-time | | | | moved a little bit further from Chinese seashore, |
| number of taken hostages was 154 people near | | | | and the oil was dumped to another ship. And |
| Somali seashores. IMB concludes that piracy | | | | when the tanker was ready for over- registering |
| became profitable business for the habitants of | | | | (what would allow pirates to sell it for 16 million |
| the poor African countries. Other "hotbeds of | | | | dollars), members of the crew succeeded to |
| tension" are west seashores of Asia and South | | | | notify Chinese authorities. |
| China Sea. Reports about pirate attacks in the | | | | Anti-pirate Laws Experts say that anti-pirate laws |
| Middle East, East Africa, Indian waters, South | | | | are good, the problem is that they are executed |
| America are more freqient lately. Pirate attacks | | | | badly. A license to steer a ship costs not so much |
| are accompanied by violence more frequently, | | | | money in poor countries. Authorities in small ports |
| specialists specify. Director of the IMB called most | | | | quite often don't check registration documents as |
| cases marine hooliganism. 64 people were killed or | | | | careful as they should. Stolen ships with new |
| injured in 2007, while 17 people suffered in 2005. | | | | "passports" practically evaporate and become |
| International Marine Bureau warned especially the | | | | ships-ghosts. |
| crews of ships which use routes along the | | | | Regional problems, politics and complicated |
| seashores of Western Africa. They should be | | | | relations often interfere in the business. As the |
| extremely cautious with fishing boats asking for | | | | director of IMB said, Indonesian and Malaysian |
| help. | | | | border guards, for instance, do not operate in |
| Pirates Attack Different Ships Pirates furrow the | | | | territorial waters of each other, even if they |
| seas on the boats with powerful outboard motors | | | | chase suspected. "It plays into the hands of |
| and attack the first met decently looking ship as | | | | pirates, - Captain Mukundan adds. - As the |
| chance offers. Pirates board this ship by means of | | | | measures against pirates are not very effective, |
| bamboo poles or ropes. Small ships and yachts | | | | they feel safe, more and more sure about their |
| are also suffering from pirate attacks. 53-year-old | | | | forces. It's very important that the law machinery |
| Peter Blake, known yachtsman and Greenpeace | | | | assume the measures to authenticate performers |
| activist, was killed in December, 2001, at Brazil | | | | of pirate attacks and punish them by the law". |