February 1, 2001. Copyright 2001. Graphic News. All rights reserved.

PIRACY AT TEN-YEAR HIGH

LONDON, February 1, Graphic News: PIRATE attacks have reached an all-time high, with 72 people killed in 469 attacks last year, according to the annual report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

The number of pirate attacks in 2000 rose 57 percent, compared to 300 in 1999 and only 107 in 1991, with about one-third occurring in Indonesian waters.

Indonesia, the worldÕs largest archipelago with 13,000 islands, was also the country where attacks were most violent, the report said. Pirates, many armed with knives, boarded 119 ships and tried to attack 31 other vessels in the region.

Seventy-two seafarers were killed compared to three in 1999. On top of the deaths, another 99 people were injured, up from 24 in 1999, and a further 26 are still missing.
 
ÒThere are no signs the attacks will drop unless Indonesia takes serious steps to address the problem,Ó the maritime bureau said in a statement.

Piracy also increased in Bangladesh, India, Ecuador, the Straits of Malacca and the Red Sea.

The United Nations is set to discuss piracy in May and JapanÕs Coast Guard has expressed its readiness to spearhead a multinational anti-piracy effort.

The International Maritime Bureau is a London-based organization funded largely by ship owners and insurers.
/ENDS
Sources: International Maritime Bureau, Associated Press