IMO
Discusses Piracy Issue
At their 78th session on May 12-21, 2004, in London, the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) discussed the issue of piracy and armed robbery against ships.
As communicated by the IMO briefing, the number of acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, which were reported to the Organization to have occurred or to have been attempted in 2003, was 456, an increase of 69 (18%) over the figure for 2002.
The areas most affected in 2003 (i.e. 5 or more incidents reported) were the Far East, in particular the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, South America and the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, West Africa, and East Africa.
The number of acts reported to have occurred or to have been attempted increased from 140 to 152 in the South China Sea; from 66 to 96 in the Indian Ocean; from 67 to 72 in South America and the Caribbean; from 47 to 67 in West Africa; and from 34 to 38 in the Malacca Strait, over the 2002 figures.
However, the numbers decreased from 3 to 1 in the Mediterranean Sea and from 24 to 22 in East Africa, compared with the 2002 figures.
During 2003, 13 crew members were reportedly killed, including two passengers and six military personnel, 45 persons were wounded and 54 crew went missing.
Amongst those still missing to date and unaccounted for are 11 crew members including three crew members thrown overboard.
11 ships were hijacked and 11 went missing, while one ship was set ablaze and one ship was run aground.
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