Security contractor says piracy up 52pc, mostly off West Africa, Indonesia

GLOBAL piracy has increased 52 per cent to 26 attacks in October compared to September due to deteriorating situations in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa and Indonesia, according AKE-GAC, security contractors.

Although Somali piracy stayed low with only three attacks, there was an incident of a pirate group opening fire on a naval warship.

But more attacks were seen in West African waters, resulting in two tankers being hijacked and seven crew members kidnapped from an oilfield supply ship.

In southeast Asia, attacks also rose for three straight months. The report said one tanker was hijacked, such as the type of fuel theft experienced off West Africa.

So far, at least 177 crew have been held off Somalia, and many of them have been detained for more than 300 days, with an average length of detention of 170 days.

In October, two ships were released for ransom, accumulating the average ransom amounts to US$5 million at present.