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.