Piracy is soaring.

[AndrewB]

A <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4224831>REPORT BY REUTERS</A> today claims a soaring rise in maritime piracy in 2003, with 20% more attacks and more than twice as many people killed, injured or taken hostage.

Particularly in Indonesia and other parts of SE Asia, also West Africa. Apparently Somalia is getting safer.

How do you respond - keep well away, or regard it as a big ship problem?

 

[Vasco]

Regard it as you would regard the risk of getting mugged in a city.

It's defifnitely not only a big ship problem ; avoid the hot spots is possible ; carrying guns usually doesn't help ( unless you carry many , heavy ones (ie RPGs...) and people to man them ; most yachts can get away with just some material loss ; the risk is real , but unless one is going to the Gulf of Aden , Sunda Straits or another notorious piracy "center", one shouldn't loose much sleep over it.


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