Worldwide pirate attacks hit record high | AP

Worldwide pirate attacks hit record high

By SEAN YOONG
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Pirate attacks worldwide hit record numbers in the first half of 2003 with the heaviest violence in the waters of Indonesia and Bangladesh, a maritime watchdog group said Thursday.

The shipping industry suffered 234 attacks from January through June this year, up 37 percent compared with 171 incidents during the same period in 2002, the International Maritime Bureau said in a report released by its Kuala Lumpur-based piracy watch center.

This was the first time in more than a decade of the bureau's record-keeping that more than 200 pirate attacks were recorded in the first six months of any year.

Indonesia's waters remained the world's most dangerous. The sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago suffered 64 attacks in six months, far outstripping the next worst - Bangladesh with 23 attacks. India and Nigeria followed with 18 each.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

:freak:

i didnt realize this kind of thing still went on...

Piracy is going on strong. Favorite targets are towboats trailing barges. Cigarettes, electronics, booze...everything is up for grabs. One tactic is to raid ship in transit and either force the master to open the safe, or sail to secluded bay and transfer cargo. We still live on the edge of savagery.....

inspiring all the pirate wannabes..... Does this mean the Religious Reich will boycott the movie??

Oh that's right, they would only be concerned if it was "butt pirates" :eyes:

Pirates of the Spice Islands?

to see that movie last week. It's very entertaining...especially when you see the crew of the "Black Pearl" in the moonlight! They strangely resemble the crew currently in charge of the US. And to think piracy was involved in their coming to power...how ironic!

Kill who you want, steal what you want.

I thought this was a software topic! My how the world has changed!

Obviously, not a good area for a Sunday sail right now.

Arrrrr

Shiver me timbers!