RI remains pirates' playground, Somali increasingly risky

RI remains pirates' playground, Somali increasingly risky

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Worldwide piracy attacks on seafarers continued to climb in the first half of this year with 171 incidents and Southeast Asia's biggest country Indonesia remains a leading contributor with 44 attacks, an international watchdog said on Tuesday .

The Piracy Reporting Center said worldwide actual and attempted piracy attacks from January to June 2002 rose by six cases (3.6 percent) from 165 during the same period a year earlier.

Narrating a deadly attack in Indonesian waters, the center cited the attack on an Indonesian passenger ship MV Oyo Star by armed gunmen while underway near Ambon in April.

"The gunmen opened fire at the ship killing four passengers and wounding dozen others. The gunmen later fled in two speedboats," it said.

Piracy attacks in India ranked second highest with 12 attacks, followed by Bangladesh with 11, nine attacks in the busy Malacca Straits separating Indonesia from Malaysia and another seven in Malaysia, said the Kuala Lumpur-based center in its first half of 2002 report.

The report said a Malaysian fishing boat was attacked by pirates in June in the Malacca Straits. It said the boat and her five crewmembers were taken to Indonesia. "Their whereabouts and safety are unknown."

The report said pirates often target bulk carriers and general cargo vessels and maritime officials attribute it to the ships' low sides which enables the pirates to jump onboard easily.

"There is a ready market in this region for cargoes that can be quickly sold, and this is the latest in a series of incidents we have seen where marine gas, oil, diesel of fuel have been the prime targets," the report said.

The report urged mariners to be extra vigilant when transiting or when berthed in the following areas: Chittagong and Mongla (Bangladesh); Chennai, Cochin, Haldia, Kandla and Tuticorin anchorages (India) and Belawan, Balikpapan and Lawi Lawi (Indonesia) where ships have reported numerous attacks.

Other locations include: Bintulu, Penang and Sandakan (Malaysia); Davao (Philippines); Koh Si Chang (Thailand) and Vung Tau (Vietnam).

The report described Somalian waters as "high risk area for hijackings."

"Ships not specifically calling at Somali ports should avoid approaching the Somali coast.

"Armed pirates in speedboats and gunboats open fire on ships and rob or hijack them. Some crew had been injured or killed in the past," it said.

The report cited an incident off the Somali coast where gunmen stormed the MV Princess Sarah on Jan. 17, 2002 off the Somali coast when she sailed from Mombassa to Aden.

The attackers demanded US$200,000 for the release of the crew and vessel. After unspecified payment was made, the crew and vessel were freed.

But the ship again came under attack on Jan. 28. The presence of a French naval vessel prevented the ship from being hijacked again. The 18 crewmen were rescued by the naval ship.

The report said in a move to fight pirates, Malaysia and Indonesia have launched a coordinated patrolling program in the Malacca Straits.

"This will ensure our continuous presence in the Straits ...," the report quoted Abdul Aziz Yusof, Malaysia's southern region marine police chief as saying.