Kuala Lumpur: The International Maritime Bureau has warned masters transiting the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to be on the lookout for small pirate skiffs as the monsoon period lifts from the northwest Indian Ocean.
This year there have been just 10 attacks in the region, a huge fall from the previous four years.
“Naval forces continue to play a key role in the response against piracy in this area from the collection of intelligence to the identification and disarming of suspected pirate vessels before they pose a threat to ships. It is vital that they remain until the situation improves ashore so that piracy is no longer a viable option for the criminals,” said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB.
“Although the attacks off Somalia have fallen we should not forget the desperate plight of the 64 crew currently held in Somalia, 38 of whom have been there for over two years.” he added. [10/09/13]
