GLOBAL piracy has reached a record high of 142 attacks in the first quarter 2011, of which 97 took place off the coast of Somalia compared to 35 in the same period 2010.
Over a five-year period the level of violence has escalated with hostage figures for Somali totalling 299 people held hostage out of 344 worldwide in the area off the east coast of Somali, in and around the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. At last count Somali pirates held 28 vessels and 596 crew members.
Globally 18 vessels were hijacked and a further 45 vessels boarded and 45 fired upon.
During the three-month period seven were killed and 34 injured compared to two deaths in 2006, "higher than we've ever recorded in the first quarter of any past year", said International Maritime Bureau director Pottengal Mukundan, reported American Shipper. Capt Mukundan said attacks were growing in boldness and violence.
Although naval forces are fighting back, fresh piracy attacks are increasing off Nigeria near Lagos with three recorded, as well as two other incidents, one involving a chemical tanker. "It is vital that strong action is taken against these mother ships to prevent further hijackings."
Most worrying is the increase in attacks of larger tankers sized at 100,000 tons which hold highly flammable chemicals - of the 97 vessels hijacked off the Horn of Africa 37 were tankers of which 20 are of the largest size.
Nine attacks occurred in Malaysia with vessels boarded in seven of these with armed pirates with guns and knives, and a hijack of a tug and barge off Tioman Island.