Sea piracy rampant worldwide<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Piracy is surging sharply worldwide, with
\nIndonesia remaining the hottest bed for sea brigands and Somalia
\na dangerous hideout for heavily armed pirates, the International
\nMaritime Bureau (IMB) said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The number of reported piracy incidents worldwide surged 55
\npercent to 90 cases in the year to mid-August from 58 in the
\nprevious corresponding period, IMB's regional manager John Martin
\ntold AFP, after releasing the bureau's piracy update.<\/p>\n
The area lying amid Hong Kong, Luzon in the Philippines and
\nHainan in the South China Sea remains a source of concern for
\nships sailing between Japan and Southeast Asia, he said.<\/p>\n
"Eight attacks have been clearly identified for this year,"
\nMartin said.<\/p>\n
The IMB report showed that harbors and ports in Indonesia
\nrecorded the largest number of cases numbering 23 out of 90,
\nfollowed by 11 in Somalia, where pirates with sophisticated
\nweapons ruled the seas.<\/p>\n
Firearms were used in nine of the 11 cases, the IMB said,
\nexpressing concern over the serious threat it posed to the safety
\nof crew and vessels.<\/p>\n
"In one of the incidents, pirates attacked the Bahamas-
\nregistered Bonsella, held the crew at gunpoint and for six days
\nstripped the vessel of its cargo," the IMB report said.<\/p>\n
There were reports of 10 cases off China, with the territorial
\ndisputes in the Spratlys chain in the South China Sea having led
\nto possible illegal seizures by Chinese troops, it said.<\/p>\n
In an increasing number of cases, thieves crept on board under
\ncover of darkness to steal a vessel's equipment without the crew
\nrealizing it until the following day, it said.<\/p>\n
Martin said 46 vessels were boarded by pirates, 17 were
\nvictims of attempted boardings, 11 were hijacks, in nine vessels
\nwere fired on, and the rest were either robberies or illegal
\ndetentions.<\/p>\n
The latest victim of an attempted boarding was tanker British
\nEsk in the South China Sea on Aug. 13. There were no details.
\nPanama-flagged bulk carrier Hye Mieko was reportedly hijacked by
\nChinese renegade troops in the South China Sea on June 23.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sea-piracy-rampant-worldwide-1447893297",
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