Piracy Dropped Worldwide in First Quarter

Sea piracy drops 28% worldwide in first quarter

Sea piracy worldwide dropped 28 percent in the first quarter of the year as attacks fell sharply in Somalia’s waters thanks to international naval patrols. Pirate attacks intensified, however, in Nigeria and Indonesia.

The number of worldwide attacks from January to March dipped to 102 from 142 cases in the same period in 2011, according to the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. It also said 11 vessels were hijacked and 212 crew members taken hostage, compared with 18 ships seized and 344 people taken hostage a year earlier.

In Somalia, there were 43 attacks, including nine vessel hijackings, compared with 97 attacks a year ago. The agency attributed the decline to “disruptive actions and pre-emptive strikes” by navies in the region.

Multiple navies — including a large U.S. presence — patrol the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean, and many private ships now carry armed guards.

The European Union Naval Force recently said it would expand its mission to include Somalia’s coast and waterways inside the country for the first time, making its battle against piracy more proactive.