piracy News

Somali Pirates’ Return Adds to Crisis for Global Shipping Companies

As a speed boat carrying more than a dozen Somali pirates bore down on their position in the western Indian Ocean, the crew of a Bangladeshi-owned bulk carrier sent out a distress signal and called an emergency hotline. No one …

India’s Navy Takes Control of Bulk Carrier Hijacked by Somali Pirates, Evacuating Crew

The Indian navy said late Saturday that it had taken control of a bulk carrier hijacked by Somali pirates and evacuated the 17 crew members on the vessel. In a statement on X, the navy said all 35 pirates on …

Twenty Armed People Board Cargo Ship off Coast of Somalia, Security Firm Says

Twenty armed people have boarded a cargo ship off the coast of Somalia and have taken control of it, a maritime security firm said on Tuesday. The vessel is the latest to be targeted following a resurgence of attacks by …

UK Navy Warns of Piracy Menace to Ships in Indian Ocean

The UK Navy posted an advisory to merchant ships in the Indian Ocean warning of pirate activity, a sign of a growing threat to a maritime industry that’s been coming under missile attacks near Yemen. Two so-called pirate action groups …

Houthi Attacks Awaken Somali Piracy on Ships Avoiding Red Sea

Piracy off Somalia’s coast has increased since maritime security was disrupted by Houthi militants’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea in response to the Israel-Hamas war. The Horn of Africa nation has recorded five assaults on commercial ships off …

Indian Ocean Off Coast of Somalia to Lose ‘High-Risk Area’ Designation as Piracy Drops

The global shipping industry agreed to declassify the Indian Ocean coastline off Somalia as a “high-risk area” following years of successful counter-piracy operations. The change was approved by marine groups including the International Chamber of Shipping and will be operational …

Nations Are Working Together to Fight Piracy in Waters Off West Africa

LAGOS – Helicopters hover above a patrol vessel in Nigeria’s frenetic Apapa port as attack boats zoom past. On the dock, drones emblazoned with the Nigerian flag sit ready to deploy – all part of a $195 million U.S.-backed “Deep …

Pirates Are Attacking Ships in Gulf of Guinea. Here’s Why and the Impact.

LAGOS— Pirates are stepping up attacks on ships in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, defying regional navies. On Saturday, pirates off Nigeria kidnapped 15 sailors from a Turkish container ship and killed one. Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea kidnapped …

World’s Biggest Shipping Line Demands Action Against Piracy Surge Off West Africa

The world’s biggest shipping company demanded a more effective military response to surging pirate attacks and record kidnappings off the coast of West Africa. The number of attacks on vessels globally jumped 20% last year to 195, with 135 crew …

Pirate Kidnappings in Waters Off Coast of West Africa Rise by 40%: Study

The number of kidnappings reported off the West African coast in the year through September is 40% higher than the same period in 2019, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea contributed to a …