92 pirate attacks off Somalia this year and 36 hijacked ships

NVDL: As resources grow scarcer, this sort of bandit-style behaviour is likely to become more common-place.

clipped from www.saudigazette.com.sa Somali pirates are trained fighters, often dressed in military fatigues, using speedboats equipped with satellite phones and GPS equipment. They are typically armed with automatic weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers and various types of grenades. The International Maritime Bureau, a piracy watchdog, said there had been 92 pirate attacks off Somalia this year and 36 of the ships had been hijacked. Fourteen ships are still controlled by pirates and 243 crew members are being held. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said a 20,000-ton ship carrying unidentified chemicals was seized Saturday night. The crew of the Japanese-owned Chemstar Venus consisted of five South Koreans and 18 Filipinos, the statement said. On Sunday, Somali pirates released an earlier-seized cargo vessel with 18 Indian crew members after being paid a ransom, Indian officials said.