Reuters: Piracy incidents in Asian waters increased sharply in the first half of the year, with a 83% year-on-year increase
Reuters, Singapore, July 10 - According to data from the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, headquartered in Singapore, the number of piracy and armed robbery incidents against ships in Asian waters increased by 83% year-on-year in January-June this year, reaching 95 cases.
Most cases occurred in the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Singapore, with 80 cases. The number of incidents in the region has increased significantly compared to 21 cases in the same period last year, and the center warned that this is a dangerous area. Many accidents in the Strait of Malacca are relatively minor, with 90% of crew members not injured. About half of the cases did not involve robbery, and 29% of the cases involved the theft of engine parts. 90% of the incidents occurred at night.
According to ReCAAP, there is no evidence that ships of any specific nationality are targeted, while slow-speed vessels and those with relaxed crew vigilance are the main targets. "The perpetrators risk their lives to board the ships for the sake of robbing cheap goods, which shows that the socioeconomic environment is a factor driving the perpetrators to commit crimes," he said.
The center said that about half of the damaged ships were bulk carriers, and a quarter were tankers. Vijay D. Chafekal said that authorities should strengthen security in areas where piracy and armed robbery frequently occur, and urged seafarers to be vigilant, including increasing deck monitoring when sailing through the Strait of Malacca at night.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837340317450268/
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