Horn of Africa Pirate Attacks 2008/9. Are all the reports genuine?

[saltwater_gypsy]

This shows the incidence of PIRATE ATTACKS in 2008/9

I once came across a site which analyzed "pirate attacks" and found that many were just curious fishing boats etc. Is this the genuine article???

 

[whipper_snapper]

there is certainly a lot of incredibly sloppy reporting on the subject.

However, check the thread Somali pirates sieze French yacht and hold 4 crew! just below. It has some good links with more data. This one especially looks convincing. Although bear in mind that the apparently exact positions are sometimes based on estimates.

It certainly does distinguish Actual Attack from Attempted Attack and Suspicious vessel

 

[Bob]

The discussion that you are referring to is probably this one HERE (a little dated now but interesting nonetheless).

However, piracy in that region is a very real threat not to be taken lightly.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Interesting site Bob, but not the one I was recalling. There are apparently, insurance scams where everybody colludes to make a profit. This is quite different to the hostage piracy which is currenly "popular".
When you go hunting "piracy" on the web, everybody seems more concerned about software piracy----the times we live in I suppose.
I will go hunting again!!

 

[Troutbridge]

I suspect a lot are 'scare stories'. That said, if you look at the map above, most attacks are close to Somalia, where the advice is 'don't be'. It's the same in the Caribbean. The Venezuelans publish a chart saying 'here be pirates'. The vast majority, if not all, attacks take place where the venezuelans say 'don't go'. This begs a question..... accepting that luck is involved, why do people load the dice against themselves?

 

[nickrj]

You are being lied to about pirates.

http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates/

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

WELL WELL! Nickrj. Now it all makes sense!
The reason that th "pirates" are boarding ships and shooting crew and demanding ransoms is only to prevent illegal fishing and dumping of chemicals and nuclear waste.
I knew there must be a worthy cause behind it all!

 

[Chrusty1]

Goes a bit of the way to understanding what is going on though doesn't it.

There is no government, no law, and no economy worth a toss, so what are they supposed to do, keep taking it up the ass from rich western nations?

NO I am not condoning their actions, but I am prepared to step back and have an objective view, I was not aware of the dumping of all that crap, or the rape of the coastal fishing waters, now that I am, I am having another think.

Times article here.....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article418665.ece

 

[nickrj]

[ QUOTE ]
WELL WELL! Nickrj. Now it all makes sense!
The reason that th "pirates" are boarding ships and shooting crew and demanding ransoms is only to prevent illegal fishing and dumping of chemicals and nuclear waste.
I knew there must be a worthy cause behind it all!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, actually, it sounds like a worthy cause to me. If I were Somalian, I wouldn't feel an ounce of moral regret imposing a 'tax' such as they are right now.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

If they were boarding illegal fishing boats and nuclear dumping vessels then there could be a scrap of sympathy.......but they are not and its good old-fashioned piracy with millions of dollars being mopped up in ransom.
If you down Nick's line then you might as well pack in any pretence of Law and Order. Along these lines there is every reason to pop out and rob a bank because they have screwed us financially!!!!

 

[MailASail]

Possibly the site you meant is the "Live Piracy Map" from the International Chamber of Commerce

http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=...&Itemid=219

A rather good site I thought. Note that many of the "attacks" reported are actually thefts or streetcrime

My personal reading on this is that "piracy" is a somewhat "over worried" about. For sure it's a real effect, especially in certain waters, but you still have a higher risk of getting swiped crossing the road than getting knocked off by pirates.

We (humans) do tend to over estimate the risks of events publicised in the media - However, I would hazard a guess that far more cruisers are laid low by failing to wear sufficient sun protection cream than near any of these other well reported hazards - quite scary given the lack of scare warnings about this (seriously folks - wear sun cream!)

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Full Circle!!
Thats the chart I started this post with!