Somali Pirates

What is Piracy the act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. This can include acts committed on land, air, or major bodies of water.

Some stats… 25 military vessels - from the EU and Nato countries, the US, China, Russia, India and Japan - patrol approximately 8.3m sq km (3.2m sq miles) of ocean, an area about the size of western Europe 151 attacks on ships in 2011, compared to 127 in but only 25 successful hijacks compared to 47 in 2010 In 2011, pirates earned $146m (£93m), an average of $4.87m (£3m) per ship 10 vessels and 159 hostages are being held An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 pirates operate; 1,000 have been captured and are going through legal processes in 21 countries

Piracy and Armed Robbery Incidents 2011

How did this happen? With the fall of the Somali government, the waters were left undefended and foreign fishers began illegally fishing in Somali waters Local fishermen banded together to protect their resource (the first act ~1991) After a few successful acts, pirates saw this as a profitable alternative – A pirates income is estimated at $238 million in 2010 – The average ransom rose to $5.4 million in 2010

Who are they? Most are between from Puntland (in northeastern Somalia) There are three main types: – Local fishermen – Ex-militiamen – Technical experts

The Current Audio File… When was the last time this law was used? Does the crime need to be fully committed for it to be piracy? What type of sentence do pirates face? How do other countries deal with Pirates?