Piracy & Armed Robbery At Sea - February 2013
February Takings - The Horn of African/IOR continues to see less activity across the HRA , but West Africa has growing voilence and kidnap against seafarers. Asia incidents increased to 17, however, the majority are boarding and robbery attempts mainly in ports. South America incidents drops back down to two instances. A total of 37 incidents were recorded in February, up on Jnauary figures.
February was a busy period for the prosecution of suspect pirates. Mauritius began the acceptance of suspects for trial; two Somalis appealed 10-year jail sentences handed down in Japan; Seychelles sentenced four priates to long-term prison, and also accepted a further nine suspects from the Dutch navy (pictured).
Following the signingi of an MoU over a year ago between Seychelles the the UK governments, UK minister, Alistair Burt officially opened the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution & Intelligence Coordination Centre (RAPPICC) in the Seychelles. The RAPPICC will bring together experts from around the world to share intelligence and information which will help to tackle the king-pins and financiers of piracy.
The Dalhousie Marine Piracy Project highlighted the deep concern that is the increasing evidence that children and youth are being recruited by piracy gangs with little recognition among those responsible for addressing piracy.
In the West African region, February witnessed an increase in kidnapping of crew from ships. Three sailors were eported kidnapped from the UK-flagged vessel Esther C - 2 Russian and 1 Romanian sailors.
Crew from a Nigeria-flagged vessel, Walvis 7, were reported kidnapped. The Master, from Honduras, and Chief Engineer, from Ukraine, remain unaccounted.
The Armada Tuah 101 was boarded and six foreign crew members were kidnapped; reported as one Russian, three Ukrainians and two Indian sailors. The sailors were reported released by pirates a couple of weeks later.
However, tragically, one Filipino crewman was fatally shot by a Nigerian pirate aboard the chemical tanker, Pyxis Delta.
February 2012 saw the Enrica Lexie incident where Italian Marines were detained on charge of murder of an Indian fisherman off the west coast of India. There were 44 piracy and armed robbery at sea incidents:
Horn of Africa/IOR - 3 hijacks, 22 attacks; West Africa -1 hijack, 6 attacks; Asia 10 attacks/boarding.
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