Pirates seized record 1,181 hostages in 2010

[Homerboy]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41131456/ns/world_news-africa/


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Pirates took a record 1,181 hostages in 2010 as ship hijackings in waters off Somalia escalated, a global maritime watchdog said Tuesday.

Attackers seized 53 vessels worldwide last year — all but four off the coast of Somalia — according to the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur.

The number of hostages and vessels taken "are the highest we have ever seen" since the center began monitoring attacks in 1991, its director, Pottengal Mukundan, said in a statement.

"The continued increase in these numbers is alarming," he said.
The Somali attacks accounted for 1,016 hostages held for ransom, the center said.
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[feralkid]

Yar.

 

[Ika]

HARRRRRRRRRRRRRR caps

 

[Bateluer]

All easily avoided with a placing one or two trained security people on each boat making that trip, armed with some long range rifles. Put a round into the head of one of the pirates in the canoe, and they're not going to come after you.

 

[dainthomas]

Black Bart laughs at modern pirates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Roberts

By 25 October they were at sea again, off St. Lucia, where they captured up to 15 French and English ships in the next three days.[25] Among the captured ships was the Greyhound, whose chief mate, James Skyrme, joined the pirates. He would later become captain of Roberts' consort, the Ranger.

During this time Roberts caught the Governor of Martinique promptly hanging him on the yardarm of his flagship, The Royal Fortune.[26]

 

[Mike Gayner]

Why don't the shipping companies change their route so they're not floating past the Somali coastline?

 

[Vette73]

All easily avoided with a placing one or two trained security people on each boat making that trip, armed with some long range rifles. Put a round into the head of one of the pirates in the canoe, and they're not going to come after you.

You do know its very hard to shot someone from a moving boat on the highseas. Even with all the navy patrols near their now they still catch very few of them.

I agree they should have some detail at least or as one ship did have a way to lock the engine bay and control room and radio for help.

 

[Jeffg010]

Pittsburgh Pirates have 1623 loses since 92 when they had their last winning season. 18 year losing streak is the most of any sports since this has been monitored.

 

[Vette73]

Pittsburgh Pirates have 1623 loses since 92 when they had their last winning season. 18 year losing streak is the most of any sports since this has been monitored.

Search overload? Try Bing*

 

[Regs]

Why don't the shipping companies change their route so they're not floating past the Somali coastline?

Time and money sadley. A merchant ship can cost upwards of 30k a day to operate and a route that can take upwards of 15-20 days more adds up. A captain would lose his job if he did take the longer route.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Time and money sadley. A merchant ship can cost upwards of 30k a day to operate and a route that can take upwards of 15-20 days more adds up. A captain would lose his job if he did take the longer route.

Yep, it's cheaper to just pay the ransom than it is to operate differently. The pirates know this as well, which is why they never ask for ridiculously high ransoms.

In addition, I'm going to guess a fair number of the hijacked ships are oil tankers coming from the Red Sea. There is no other route in that case. Maybe they could launch from the Mediterranean side, but then they're traveling around the entire African continent to deliver for much of the Eastern Hemisphere.

 

[TheNinja]

They need me and my homies to help out