Not so long ago, hijackings by Somali pirates were a daily part of the headlines. But this year no attacks were reported in east African waters, according to data from the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization.
Not so long ago, hijackings by Somali pirates were a daily part of the headlines. But this year no attacks were reported in east African waters, according to data from the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization.
After doubling in just a few years, global piracy has quickly returned to levels similar to those from before the crisis began.
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This decline is primarily the result of a surge in naval activity by the US and Europe that ended hijackings in 2012. Attacks that did not result in a hijacking had continued in smaller numbers until this year.
Some of the decline may also be credited to ships taking more drastic measures to ensure their own safety, such as hiring armed guards or arming themselves with various deterrents.
Note: Due to inconsistencies in the dataset, the map above does not include every attack reported to the IMO. Attacks without a latitude and longitude are omitted from the map, but included in the chart.
