A record number of sailors were taken hostage in 2010 in the world, mostly off Somalia, by heavily armed pirates, announced on Tuesday 18 January, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). A total of 445 attacks have been identified worldwide, 10% more than in 2009, according to BMI, located in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), in its annual report: 53 ships were boarded by pirates, who have 1181 hostage sailors against only 188 in 2006 and 1050 in 2009.Eight crewmen were killed. "These figures are the highest ever recorded," said Captain Pottengal Mukundan, director of the MIC of piracy BMI, began operations in 1991. "This continued increase is alarming," he judged. In late December, 28 ships and 638 hostages remained in the hands of the pirates, said the BMI, body linked to the international network of chambers of commerce.
The Indian Ocean, particularly the Gulf of Aden last year remained the most dangerous sea area of the planet. The hostage off the Somali coast accounted for 92% of the total, with 49 ships and 1,016 sailors selected. However, the number of attacks has dropped by more than half in the Gulf of Aden, 53 against 117 in 2009, thanks to the presence of marine vessels from several countries, including the European force Atalanta.
"The activity of ships deployed in waters off the Horn of Africa must be commended, because they prevented numerous attacks by pirates," said Captain Mukundan. The IMB warned ships of trade against the extension of the range of the pirates in the Indian Ocean to Mozambique. Map of attacks in 2010
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