I make no apologies for once more returning to the subject of piracy after reading a report in the Daily Express (Monday 18th April 2011).
According to the political and economic intelligence group Geopolicity, and the International Maritime Bureau, a Somali pirate can now earn £48000 a year from his criminal activities (150 times the average earnings in Somalia) and that there are as many as 1500 of them operating in the Red Sea/Indian Ocean.
The number of attacks has reportedly increased from 276 in 2005 to 445 last year, with 97 off Somalia in Jan to March 2011 in which 18 vessels were seized, 340 hostages taken and 7 sailors killed.
While this carnage continues unabated ‘experts’ gather for a conference in Dubai and our navy gives captured pirates cigarettes and lessons in how to treat hostages ‘with dignity’.
The ‘dignity’ I’d give these brigands would be delivered via a 4.5” gun!
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