Piracy Reports

A recapture of reports from the ICC Commercial Crime Services Live Piracy Report:

11.03.2009: 0252 UTC: Posn: 06:19.8N – 003:25.75E, Lagos anchorage, Nigeria. Pirates armed with guns, knives and iron rods boarded a chemical tanker at anchor. As a result of assaulting the crew the captain and an AB were seriously injured. The captain received medical treatment onboard while the AB was sent ashore for medical treatment. Ship weighed anchor and proceeded away from the port. A full report and more details are awaited from the owners/master. 10.03.2009 0500 UTC: Posn: 08:06N – 059:11E: About 550 nm off Somalia. Pirates chased a bulk carrier and opened fire with small arms. Ship made evasive manoeuvres and escaped the attack. 09.03.2009: 1800 UTC: Posn: 08:02N - 058:45E, About 530 nm off Somalia. Pirates armed with RPGs and rifles in a skiff chased a bulk carrier underway and opened fire at it. Ship took evasive manoeuvres and prevented pirates from boarding. Later, pirates aborted the attack. Crew and vessel safe.

05.03.2009: 0345 LT: Posn: 07:56N – 065:28E: about 900nm off Somalia coast, Indian ocean. While underway, OOW onboard a bulk carrier noticed an unidentified and unlit target on the radar about 9nm on stbd bow. Target did not transmit AIS signal and did not respond to calls on VHF radio. About 45 minutes later, target Increased speed and headed towards vessel. Vessel took evasive manoeuvres and prevented target from getting closer. Later, target was noticed aborting the attempt and moving away. Vessel resumed passage on intended route.

04.03.2009: 0735 UTC: Posn: 12:17.9N - 044:09.9E, Gulf of Aden. Five armed pirates in a boat approached a bulk carrier underway. Master raised alarm, increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and fired rocket flares. Finally, the boat aborted the attempted attack and passed on the ship's port beam at a distance of 0.4 nm. 03.03.2009: 0612 UTC: Posn: 13:02N - 048:43E, Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with RPG and rifles fired upon and attempted to board a container ship underway. Master raised alarm, sent distress message and took evasive manoeuvres. A naval warship responded to the distress call and sent a helicopter. The helicopter fired warning shots and the pirates aborted the attempted attack.

02.03.2009: 0649 UTC: Posn: 12:09N – 045:33E, Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with guns fired upon an oil tanker underway. Master reported to coalition warship and UKMTO Dubai and increased speed took evasive manoeuvres and altered away from the pirate boats. Later pirate aborted the attack. All crew safe.

Interesting that 3 incidents have occurred off the east coast of Somalia at great range. Two of them appear to be clearly related. Time will tell if the pattern of attacks in the Gulf of Aden is changing as the various escort forces gather in the area and whether pirates are seeking new hunting grounds away from those forces.

Red arrows in maps point to Somalia. Google Earth location is approximate for 900 mile incident.