ReCAAP Reports Seven Piracy Incidents

ReCAAP ISC issued its monthly piracy report, informing of seven incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in May 2019.

 There was no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah; and no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported in May 2019. However, the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.

In May 2019, six actual incidents of armed robbery against ships and one attempted incident of piracy were reported. The incidents have been verified and reported to ReCAAP ISC by ReCAAP Focal Points. Refer to the Appendix on pages 15-17 for the description of the incidents.

Compared to May 2018, there was a 22% decrease in the number of incidents reported in May 2019. A total of nine incidents were reported in May 2018 compared to seven incidents in May 2019.

However, compared to the past six preceding months (November 2018 – April 2019), the number of incidents reported in May 2019 has increased. Between November 2018 and April 2019, a total of three incidents to four incidents were reported each month.  The number of incidents reported each month from May 2018 to May 2019.

Of the seven incidents reported in May 2019, three incidents occurred on board ships at anchor/berth (at Kandla in India; and Dumai and Cigading in Indonesia) and four incidents on board ships while underway (off Pulau Mapur, Indonesia; off Mindanao, Philippines in the Pacific Ocean; and off Tanjung Piai, Malaysia in the Singapore Strait).

Of the six actual incidents reported in May 2019, one was a CAT 2 incident and five were CAT 4 incidents. Chart 1 shows the significance level of incidents reported in May of 2007-2019.