Where did pirates come from? 21st century sea pirates are getting richer and more dangerous

According to the International Maritime Organization, modern piracy is divided into three types:

First view- this is when armed gangs of pirates attack ships with knives and pistols on the high seas or in a harbor, using the factor of surprise. The attack lasts approximately 30-60 minutes. The prey of sea bandits is the cash of the crew and passengers of the ship, as well as part of the cargo, if it is of interest to them. As a rule, they do not attempt to seize the ship itself, but limit themselves only to the ship’s cash register and part of the cargo, which they reload onto their boats and boats.

For the second type characterized by a brutal attack by well-organized and armed local gangs, usually accompanied by murders, often the extermination of the entire crew of the ship, and the seizure of cargo. These are gangs armed with heavy machine guns, machine guns and grenade launchers, which often exterminate the entire crew and seize the ship and cargo.

Third type– well-coordinated actions of international organized gangs to seize ships with especially valuable cargo. In this case, the ship's crew is destroyed or disembarked, and the cargo is reloaded onto a pirate ship. The captured ship is then usually sold using forged papers or used for one's own purposes. These are international organized groups that seize ships with particularly valuable cargo. They use modern satellite navigation and communications, have an agent network, and extensive connections in various echelons of power.

According to their methods of action, pirates are divided into two types - “Indonesian” and “Somali”. The first type, widespread primarily in the waters of Southeast Asia, involves hunting for valuable cargo. People in this case are an annoying nuisance and are often destroyed. The second type of attack, practiced, as the name suggests, mainly in African waters, involves taking hostages for ransom.

Characteristics of current pirates

1. Robin Hood complex

Many Somali pirates consider themselves good people. And at some point they were good. After the fall of the Somali government in 1991, neighboring countries began illegal fishing in Somalia's territorial waters. The first pirates were simply angry fishermen who seized foreign ships and demanded "tolls." But as illegal fishing continued, the first pirates banded together and declared themselves the "Coast Guard." They claimed that they would care about the territorial integrity of Somalia until the country had a government.

However, they were not alone. Other pirates made their debut by plundering UN ships delivering food to Somali refugee camps. They argued that if they did not take the food, the warlords would seize it. Their statements made sense. Warlords captured much of the humanitarian aid flowing into Somalia in the 1990s.

But over the years, piracy has become a business worth millions of dollars. Today, pirates do not hide their motives and directly say that they are only interested in money.

2. Nobody earns as much as pirates

By some estimates, pirates earned $150 million in 2008, making piracy the largest industry in Somalia. Essentially, successful pirates are now the most eligible bachelors. While small-time gangsters earn five figures, the leaders earn $2 million a year, and this in a country where you can dine for less than $1. Now many pirates are heading to new pastures, and with them real money is leaving Somalia. They are buying property on the coast of Kenya, where new villas are springing up like mushrooms. If a villa is sold for several million dollars, the pirates have no problem throwing in half a million so that the Kenyans don’t ask unnecessary questions.

3. It's easy to be a pirate!

Almost anyone can engage in piracy. All you need is a pistol, an aluminum ladder (to climb onto ships) and a motor boat. The main thing is that there is no need to fear that they will return fire from the selected object. Under international agreements, civilian ships are prohibited from carrying weapons, as governments do not want armed ships moving from port to port. The best defense against pirates is speed, but since civilian ships are not designed to move quickly, it is not difficult for pirates to catch up with them. The most technologically advanced robbers have machine guns and GPS, but many pirates are almost indistinguishable from fishermen. Having captured a ship, they either rob it or demand a ransom for goods and crew. The ransom for a merchant ship's cargo averages about $1 million.

5. Pirates rarely kill people, and this is why they are dangerous

It's hard to tell the pirates from the fishermen until they board the ship and pull out their guns. Therefore, the deterrent role of warships is reduced to floating nearby to intimidate. Once pirates hijack a ship, the military rarely attempts to recapture it, as doing so may result in harm to hostages. Despite all the aggressiveness of pirates in 2008, the number of people killed was small. The captain of one ship, taken hostage, died of natural causes. Several people died in shootouts trying to free the hostages. Pirates prefer their hostages to be healthy. For each of them you can get thousands of dollars in ransom. In addition, due to the pirates' reputation for not harming hostages, governments are reluctant to retaliate, as shipowners are demanding.

"BEING A PIRATE IS COOL!"

“Today there will be no briefing, no comments,” one of the pirates who captured the Ukrainian ship Faina with 33 tanks on board said over the noise of the waves, and turned off his satellite phone.

At stake are several million dollars, which the pirates are demanding as ransom for the ship and crew members. Does he have no time for journalists?

But who are these modern pirates? As it turns out, most of them are from Puntland, a self-proclaimed state in eastern Somalia. And, as they say local residents, they live in luxury.

“They have everything: money and power. The pirates are becoming more powerful every day,” says Abdi Farah Juha, a resident of Puntland’s capital, Garowe.

“They take the most beautiful women as wives, build huge houses and buy the latest brands of cars and newest weapons, he adds. Piracy is not only socially acceptable, it has become somewhat fashionable.”

The average age of “sea wolves” ranges from 20 to 35 years. And for them, this is not primarily romance, but an opportunity to make a decent living. The average ransom received for capturing a ship is two million dollars. For Somalia, which has been torn apart by conflict for the past 17 years, this is a lot of money - especially in a country where about half the population needs humanitarian assistance.

According to Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, the total amount of ransoms paid to pirates since the beginning of this year is close to $30 million. At the same time, the requested amounts are constantly growing - for the release of the Ukrainian “Faina” they initially demanded 22 million. Then the amount was reduced to three million.

62 people took part in the capture of the Faina with tanks and 21 crew members on board.

According to BBC Somalia commentator Mohammed Ali, members of pirate groups can be roughly divided into three groups:

Former fishermen - the “Brain” of all such operations - know the sea like no one else,

Former military men - the “muscles” of piracy - people with experience of military operations in numerous conflicts between clans in Somalia,

Technical experts - the so-called "Nerds" - are programmers and people obsessed with technical innovations. They are responsible for the equipment needed by pirates: satellite phones, navigation devices and military equipment.

The most surprising thing is that conflicts within pirate groups occur extremely rarely. As the BBC's correspondent in Puntland, Mohamed Ali, says, extortionists are united by the prospect of making money and sharing money. That is why, when information appeared about a possible shootout on the Faina, a representative of the pirates categorically denied it: “We simply shot in the air, celebrating the end of Ramadan. Everyone is happy".

Apparently, the bulk of the Somali pirates' weapons come from neighboring Yemen. Some are purchased directly in the capital of Somalia - Mogadishu.

Moreover, the transfer of money is carried out according to the traditional system in the Muslim world, based not so much on documents, but on trust and clan affiliation.

Recently, reports appeared in the press that influential businessmen from Saudi Arabia were allegedly somehow involved in the financing of piracy. But, as the BBC Somali Service points out, on the contrary, businessmen themselves are increasingly turning to pirates for loans. It is not surprising that with such a profitable “business” and the lack of an alternative, more and more young people are turning to piracy. "This has Negative influence on many aspects of life in Garowe,” says Mohamed Hasan, one of the residents of the Puntland capital. According to him, the injection of millions of dollars into circulation leads to currency devaluation and rising prices. “Because of them, more and more people are using drugs and alcohol,” notes Mohamed Hassan. “They call themselves not pirates, but coast guards.”

Robin HUNTER, BBC, London

The most successful members of pirate gangs managed to build villas for themselves and break into the public eye. 27-year-old Ali Ahmad received his share of -140 thousand dollars for his participation in the attack on the French superyacht Le Ponant. He built himself a residence in Galkayo, bought a Toyota jeep and a second wife. Six of his comrades were captured during a French commando raid on Eil and are now awaiting trial in France.

Ali Ahmad, meanwhile, is thriving - he bought a truck, a kiosk selling huts and a speedboat. He rents out the boat to a gang of pirates who pay him a share of the ransom received. The last time he received 40 thousand dollars. Grinning, he says, "Good transaction."

Membership in the Coast Guard is considered by the local population as a kind of badge of honor. It provides free passage through checkpoints and access to trade credit for local merchants. The gang members even became the heroes of a popular comic book, in which a beautiful woman leaves a member of the Islamic militia and sets off to meet a wonderful new life with the “master of the seas.”

However, the attack on ships carrying UN food (UN food accounts for 40% of the country's food consumption) has significantly damaged Somalia's pirate image. The authorities of the neighboring province of Puntland considered that it was more profitable for them to cooperate with the West. As a result, more than a hundred pirates found themselves behind bars in the provincial capital of Busasso. A Puntland official said they face a sentence of "between 15 years' imprisonment and the death penalty."

How are modern pirates of the 21st century different from those who robbed ships during the time of Christopher Columbus?

In fact, there are few differences. Unlike those pirates who are described in adventure books and films, where they are endowed with heroic qualities, the real sea robbers of the past have always been merciless and cruel. They felt no pity for their victims. Modern pirates remain just as cunning and merciless, only they have become even more sophisticated than before. To understand what they are like, you need to see them and see what they are capable of.

Do pirates have a hierarchy?

I can distinguish two groups of piracy: lower and higher. At the lowest level, simple bandits operate. They do not have any well-thought-out plan for the operation, and they act on the principle of “lucky or unlucky.” Their target, as a rule, is small vessels. They are greedy for personal values, money and other small things and do not always kill people. But they also pose a great threat, because during a pirate attack, the ship remains uncontrolled for 40 minutes or more and can run into reefs, get caught in a whirlpool or be exposed to other dangers, which threatens the death of people on board. Higher-level pirates prepare for attacks with extreme care, organizing a series of raids aimed at hijacking a ship and stealing cargo that can be valued at millions of dollars. There have been cases of ship hijacking with the aim of taking passengers hostage and holding them until ransom. It often happens that even after the pirates received the required amount, the hostages were killed.

According to the classification of the International Maritime Organization, modern pirate groups are divided into three types:

1. Small groups (up to 5 people), armed with knives and pistols. They attack ships in a harbor or on the high seas, using the element of surprise. They rob the ship's cash register and passengers, and offload some of the cargo onto their boats. The total number is from 8–10 thousand people around the world.

2. Gangs (up to 30 people), armed with heavy machine guns, machine guns and grenade launchers, often kill the crew of a captured ship and take the ship and cargo. The total number is about 300 thousand people around the world.

3. International organized groups seize ships with particularly valuable cargo (today it is oil and petroleum products). They have modern satellite navigation and communications, an intelligence network, and cover in government agencies. Most often, tankers, bulk carriers, and container ships are robbed. Sometimes private yachts are attacked. In 2001, a scandal occurred - pirates in the Amazon killed America's Cup winner, yachtsman Peter Blake. Experts believe that pirate syndicates have used stolen ships to create a shipping network with a turnover of about $5 billion a year.

In the 21st century pirates found themselves in an ideal position, since, unlike in previous centuries, commercial and passenger ships are now practically defenseless. Their crews have no weapons

When we talk about pirates, we imagine the heroes of “Treasure Island” or Hollywood handsome men like Johnny Depp, in general – adventures, and not a meeting with real bandits. The cultural myth is so strong that we stubbornly fail to see a problem until we are confronted with it.

Zhiya, at best the captain has a gun.

Peter T. Leeson, professor of economics at the University. George Mason, in his book "The Invisible Hook"

There are other common parallels between modern Somalis and the pirates of the early 18th century. For example, Somalia has not existed as a state until almost the end of the Cold War, when the powerful dictator Mohamed Siad Bare was overthrown and his vast arsenal fell into the hands of the clans that form the basis of Somali society. Despite the fact that more than a dozen “transitional governments” have since been formed and recognized by the international community, none of them have been able to suppress the activity of the militant groups representing the clans. As a result, today's young Somalis have essentially remained stateless throughout their entire adult lives. Likewise, Leeson notes, 300 years ago, “most future pirates severed all ties with their state before they turned thirty,” and “they cared for no other flag than the black one under which they sailed.” Both the Somalis and the sea wanderers of yore had to seek refuge outside the states in order to maintain a reliable source of income and a stable way of life.

Until recently, Somali pirates encountered minimal obstacles to their activities. But, just as the exceptional success of the ancient pirates once forced Britain to unite its forces in order to wipe them off the face of the Earth, the invasion of the Somalis into the sphere of trade and strategic interests of the United States, as well as the powers of Europe, Asia and the Persian Gulf is now giving impetus to the formation of an anti-piracy coalition. The US-led Joint Task Force 150 - consisting primarily of ships from the US Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and, in shifts, a few ships from other, mostly European, countries - has been patrolling the Somali coast since 2002, and its mission is now not only in counter-proliferation and counter-terrorism activities, but also in counter-piracy. Malaysia, Russia and India have sent warships to the region to protect their own shipping, while NATO and the European Union have sent ships to patrol the area where the Somalis hunt.

While 18th-century pirates who managed to survive a naval raid could at least return to their homeland, the Somalis have no such option. The only thing they can do is return to the anarchic lands of Somalia and engage in robbery on land. In fact, Somali pirates - rich, ostentatiously dressed and heavily armed - managed to become big shots at home. They can afford to wait until international attention subsides and then resume their maritime banditry, as many pardoned pirates did in the 1700s. Driven out of Mogadishu by US-funded Ethiopian troops more than two years ago, Islamist militants - who have been active in the fight against pirates - are now threatening to retake de facto power. The domain of non-religious militants, who had less freedom of action on land, has become - and perhaps will continue to be - maritime territory.

Britain's successful anti-piracy efforts in the early 1700s suggest possible measures to counter Somali pirates: introducing a system of legal sanctions based on the principle of carrots and sticks and ensuring the ability to quickly enforce them. In 2008, the UN adopted a resolution declaring the fight against piracy the international duty of member countries and allowing them to pursue pirates in Somali territorial waters. But with the bulk of naval forces focused on other pressing missions, maintaining a presence sufficient to forestall or repel a significant number of pirate attacks remains difficult. And even if all affected countries were to deploy patrols, their monitoring of various sectors of the pirate industry would need to be coordinated through a central command post. This in itself represents an extremely difficult diplomatic challenge.

Leeson's book makes it clear that for all the effort put into drafting anti-piracy laws by the British Parliament, there was no chance of ending piracy until the King sent squadrons to take control of the two main pirate ports on the island in 1717. Bahamas and Madagascar. Having lost access to them, the robbers were forced to disperse throughout the globe and became more vulnerable. In the current situation, carrying out a similar maneuver would involve a military invasion of Somalia. Given the need for security and state structures, Somalia, like Afghanistan, would need to deploy large numbers of military personnel to enforce peace and civilians to rebuild infrastructure. But given the continued need for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the major military powers do not have sufficient resources to support a coalition or UN peacekeeping operation. As for African troops, there are not enough of them even to resolve existing conflicts in Sudan, southern Somalia and other countries. The Americans' bitter experience with humanitarian intervention in Somalia in the early 1990s, culminating in the incident known as Black Hawk Down, also provides pause before resorting to forceful intervention. Therefore, the international community should make the most of diplomacy and strive to establish an unprecedentedly active and sustained dialogue.

The truth that crowns The Invisible Hook is that pirates, based on the logic of their world, act rationally. The same goes for terrorists, so the opposing side will never solve the problem by simply declaring them a bunch of crazy people. Indeed, recent studies such as Robert Pape's Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of the Suicide Bomber make it clear that those who do so are committing plain stupidity. It is worth quoting the valiant Jack Sparrow: “As for me, I am dishonest, and I am a dishonest man, of whose dishonesty you can always be sure. To be honest, you have to keep an eye on the honest ones, because you never know when they will do something incredibly stupid.”

Somali sea robbers (their age on average is from 20 to 35 years), when capturing merchant ships sailing through the bay, treat hostages tolerably, and rarely quarrel with each other, since the vital need for ransom unites them.

Typically, a gang consists of three types of pirates: 1) the think tank - former fishermen who know the sea like the back of their hand; 2) combat power - former militias who once fought on the side of certain clans in Somalia; 3) technicians - experts in all kinds of equipment: from computers to satellite phones and new generation weapons.

Somali pirates are quite well organized. After all, to seize a ship, large-scale preparation is required: this includes the purchase of the necessary weapons and the search for a translator who would communicate with the hostages, Noel CHUNG, head of the anti-piracy center of the International Maritime Bureau based in Kuala Lumpur, said in an interview with MK.

There are four main gangs known to operate in this region. The first, the “National Volunteer Coast Guard,” led by a certain Garaad Mohamed, specializes in intercepting small vessels in the southern part of the Gulf. The Marka gang and the Puntland group consist mainly of ordinary fishermen and are loosely organized. But there is also real military power in the Horn of Africa - the so-called “Somali sailors”. This group is structured like an army: it has a naval admiral, a vice admiral and even a head of financial operations.

The bandits buy weapons in Yemen, although they often manage to obtain an arsenal in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Moreover, deals are concluded, as they say, on word of honor. That is, arms dealers have a deposit. The courier simply comes and picks up the “goods”, the buyer pays for it upon receipt. Basically, pirates prefer Kalashnikov assault rifles, 7.62 mm Tokarev self-loading pistols (TT-30) and, as a final argument, RPG-7 grenade launchers.

It is noteworthy that the corsairs themselves do not call themselves pirates, but coast guards. By the way, these are far from empty words: the robbers really scare away foreign fishing vessels, which, being usually better equipped, used to collect a huge catch, leaving local fishermen to starve.

Officially, the international community recognizes only the federal government of Somalia as the only legitimate authority in the country, but the latter controls only a piece of the capital, the city of Mogadishu. The bandits determine how the rest of the non-existent state should live.

Some time ago, sea robbers opened their own stock exchange in the port of Haradher. It operates 24 hours a day, and anyone can purchase shares of self-proclaimed pirate companies on it. And not only for money, but also for weapons, drugs or anything else that might seem useful to pirates. In total, there are more than 70 such companies that have placed their shares on the stock exchange. And the holders of securities are not only local gangs and residents, but also Somali diasporas of other countries. The bandits themselves are confident that they don’t care about the financial crisis: if the sea is not very stormy, they will bring in their “catch.”

Yet this market lacks organization.

If real businessmen appeared on the market, they could put everything on a grand scale,” the editor-in-chief of the online magazine “Marine Bulletin” Mikhail VOYTENKO shared his opinion in a conversation with MK. - The most optimal solution for them would be to gather more “soldiers of fortune”, former military and professional bandits, and ensure more or less guaranteed results of the seizures. But they haven’t done it and won’t do it, because they are too divided.

In some cases, when captured, pirates are not interested in the cargo or even the crew: they limit themselves to taking the personal belongings of the sailors. But even this is a huge booty, because on the ship you can most often find a lot of laptops, expensive equipment and cash, which each ship is obliged to carry in its cash register to pay various types of expenses.

Now, 300 years later, piracy is back in fashion. Somali pirates operating in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden are the most daring and active, but others are scouring the geostrategically important Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Last September, Somali pirates attacked and hijacked a Ukrainian merchant ship loaded with tanks, heavy weapons and ammunition. Even surrounded by American and Russian warships, the pirates maintained control of the ship until February, when its owners paid a ransom of $3.2 million. In the days that followed, the Somalis hijacked a Saudi oil supertanker carrying two million barrels of oil nearly 500 miles from Somalia and seized a Hong Kong-flagged Iranian ship carrying Chinese grain. Overall, Somali pirates carried out 124 attacks in 2008, an 80% increase over 2007, and reportedly made over $50 million in net profits. After the New Year, the pirates became even more desperate. In April 2009, they first attacked a US-flagged ship, the Maersk Alabama, carrying food and agricultural products for humanitarian aid organizations in Kenya. The crew soon managed to regain control of the ship, and the US Navy released the captured captain, but this operation had an extremely dubious “deterrent” effect, as the pirates promised to retaliate against American targets.

Although Leeson does not spend much time analyzing modern piracy, he does make some interesting observations. For example, he notes that although most modern pirates differ significantly from the ancient ones, having not spent much time at sea, Somali pirates resemble the classic ones in their willingness to remain on the high seas for long periods of time, their egalitarian principle of sharing the spoils, and the creation of a "social insurance" system. for compensation to the families of dead pirates and the introduction of a basic written “pirate code”, including rules for the treatment of captives.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, ships from 62 countries have been subject to pirate attacks. More than a hundred groups are engaged in maritime robbery. Why can't they still be defeated?

What kind of phenomenon are pirates in the 21st century? Why did the state of Somalia become the base of modern pirates? Renat Irikovich Bekkin, a senior researcher at the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a lecturer at MGIMO (U) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, tells the story. He recently returned from a scientific trip to Somalia.

- Why did pirates of the 21st century choose Somalia?

In fact, international maritime robbery today does not only occur off the coast of Somalia. Gentlemen of fortune from Southeast Asia, unlike their Somali counterparts, are distinguished by extreme cruelty. Somalis, compared to the pirates “working” in the Strait of Malacca, are harmless sheep, noble knights. And in Indonesian territorial waters, professional gangs engage in piracy. Separatist partisans, as well as sailors and fishermen who have lost their jobs, do not disdain piracy. Pirates are actively involved in smuggling activities.

But there are many poor countries in the world. In the same Africa. Why did piracy become widespread in Somalia? After all, since the beginning of the year, more than 30 sea vessels have been captured by Somali pirates. Are there any historical reasons for the spread of piracy in Somalia?

We can talk more about geographical than historical prerequisites. Ships traveling from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and back, through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, cannot pass the Gulf of Aden and are a tasty morsel for lanky, dark-skinned gentlemen from Somalia. The route from Europe to South and East Asia and Australia runs through the Gulf of Aden. The aforementioned Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia, one of the busiest sea routes, opens up no less opportunities for pirates. And the numerous islands scattered in the inland seas of Indonesia are a paradise for pirate bases. And in Africa, Somalia is far from the only place where pirates operate. Among the places of their greatest activity, I would highlight the coast of Nigeria and the south of the continent.

- What makes people become pirates? Who is he, a typical Somali pirate?

Whatever we may say about the romance of pirates, poverty is at the heart of piracy. Let's not forget that most of the once united state of Somalia is under the control of the leaders of various clans and tribes.

UN employees complain: they send a cargo of humanitarian aid to Somalia, but before it reaches its destination, it is intercepted by representatives of other clans that were left deprived of food distribution.

Most Somali pirates are young people who cannot find good jobs. For them, piracy is shrouded in an aura of romance. The opportunity to get involved in an interesting adventure and earn huge money at the same time, comparable to the pre-crisis Christmas bonuses of top managers on Wall Street, pushes young people into the ranks of gentlemen of fortune. According to my information, among the pirates there are no people from Somaliland, a de facto independent state in the north of the Somali Peninsula. Somaliland has lived in peace and relative prosperity compared to other parts of the once unified state of Somalia since 1991, and therefore the pirate profession is not very popular here. Most of the pirates come from the Majertan and Hawiye clans, from Puntland, a buffer quasi-state in the northeast of the Somali Peninsula.

Somali pirates try not to shed the blood of captured crews and treat them humanely. And this despite the fact that the low level of medical care has taught people to be calm about the prospect of their own premature death or the death of loved ones. By the way, as one of the justifications for piracy, the Somalis cite the following argument: foreign ships use the territorial waters of Somalia free of charge, and the people do not receive anything from this. As for the ship "Faina", according to information leaked to the media, it was transporting weapons intended for rebels in South Sudan, that is, it grossly violated international law. If this information is confirmed, then we can say that some criminals captured others.

- What about the Caribbean Sea, which is familiar to Hollywood fans?

The Caribbean Sea, as well as the entire American continent, according to the well-known Monroe Doctrine, is a zone of strategic interests of the United States. Therefore, the large-scale pirate industry in this area does not have a chance to exist. Although some pirate attacks also take place off the coast of South America.

The picture of the capture of the ship "Faina" amazes the modern TV viewer. Somali pirates on boats and fragile boats board a huge ship, the side of which is 6-8 meters larger than the entire flotilla of gentlemen of fortune. “Faina” could have accelerated, and the pirates would not have had a single chance to stop her, why didn’t this happen? What latest pirate technologies do the filibusters from Somalia have?

When I traveled around Somalia, I met people who could very well be pirates. In ordinary life they can be peaceful citizens, have a peaceful profession, and in free time engage in piracy. Somalis are an amazing people, I have never met such positive-minded people. The man has nothing but a ramshackle house made of wicker twigs and a dollar a day for food, but he beams with a smile. Skeptics say that the reason for this is khat, a narcotic herb that Somalis chew everywhere. Chew this khat and your soul will feel cheerful and carefree. But seriously, pirates are certainly given confidence by the fact that the crews of the ships they capture, as a rule, do not offer them any resistance. Because sea robbers act with lightning speed. They unexpectedly attack the ship and actively fire at it with grenade launchers and machine guns. But even in those cases when it is possible to neutralize the pirates, they are soon released. (Many experts believe that representatives of local authorities and the police cover up for pirates, because they share their loot with them. - Ed.)

There is a special attitude towards Russians in Somalia. In the 70-80s. in Somalia they built a local model of socialism, and good relations were built between our countries. Especially before the Somali-Ethiopian war of 1977, where Soviet Union had to take the side of Ethiopia. Many Somalis studied in the USSR. I met them during my trip to Somalia. This, without any exaggeration, is white bone, the most educated people in the country.

In July of this year, the UN adopted a document allowing the navy of a third country to enter the territorial waters of Somalia and suppress the activities of pirates. Is there now a force capable of bringing order to Somalia and putting an end to piracy?

As recent events have shown, the Somali Sharia Courts Union has proven its ability to restore order and curb crime. But as soon as they managed to strengthen themselves and begin to unify southern Somalia, the United States intervened in the situation and, through the hands of Ethiopia, prevented the unification process in the country. The US interest is to prevent the creation of a unified and strong Islamic state in Somalia. Ethiopia is also not interested in reviving Somali statehood. After the death of more than 130 UN peacekeepers and the loss of about $3 billion in 1993 during Operation Restore Hope, the world community has no desire to get involved in squabbles between clans.

On October 1, the ambassador of the virtually non-existent state of Somalia announced that the Somali government would soon recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. How do you assess this step?

From a tactical point of view, perhaps this is a good move, but from a strategic point of view, it is utter stupidity. The motives of the Somali leadership are clear. It is making this gesture of goodwill in the hope of receiving support from Moscow. If Somalia recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia, then the United States will have no reason not to recognize Somaliland, where the Americans have certain interests. And then it will be possible to put a big fat cross on the unity of Somalia.

* At the time of signing, we did not have a number new information about the fate of the Faina and the crew.

Pirate hijackings in the 21st century

According to the International Center for Combating Piracy, since the beginning of the 21st century, ships from 62 countries* have been attacked in the coastal seas of 56 countries. More than a hundred groups are engaged in maritime robbery.

According to the classification of the International Maritime Organization, modern pirate groups are divided into three types:

The geography of the activities of pirates of the 21st century is the coastal waters of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Main attack areas:

1. Southeast Asia and the South China Sea (Strait of Malacca, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand).
2. West Africa (Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Ghana), Indian Ocean, East Africa (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania).
3. South America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guyana).

The most “popular” place for attacks is the coastal waters of Indonesia.

The annual damage from piracy around the world is $40 billion.

Based on the annual reports of the International Maritime Bureau:

In 2000, there were 469 pirate attacks on ships worldwide
in 2001 - 344
in 2002 - 370
in 2003 - 344
in 2004 - 329
in 2005 - 276
in 2006 - 239
in 2007 - 263

Statistics on Russian ships are distorted, since 60% of ships sail under the flags of other countries of the world, that is, they are simply rented out together with a Russian crew.

* This figure is not final, as many shipowners are afraid to report pirate attacks to the police, fearing retaliation from criminals, corrupt officials and police in coastal countries.

Latest tragedies at sea

The cargo ship "Captain Uskov" under the flag of Cambodia left the Russian port of Nakhodka for Hong Kong on January 15, 2008, but did not arrive at the destination port. The ship's crew consisted of 17 Russians, including 22-year-old barmaid Ekaterina Zakharova, who was on her first voyage. There were 4.5 thousand tons of metal on board the ship. The International Center for Combating Piracy joined the search for the ship and crew, which distributed information with its description throughout the world. Even if the ship has been repainted, its name and flag changed, it can be recognized by its individual characteristics. Hopes for success are low.

On February 1, 2008, off the coast of Somalia, pirates captured the icebreaking tugboat Switzer Korsakov, which was sailing from St. Petersburg to Sakhalin under the flag of the state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The team consists of one Englishman, one Irishman, and four Russian citizens. The kidnappers received a ransom of 700 thousand dollars for the ship and crew. It was paid by the Switzer Weissmuller company, which owns the tug. Negotiations with pirates were conducted from February 1 to March 18, 2008.

How to fight

On November 16, 1994, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was adopted, according to which all states must cooperate to the fullest extent possible in the suppression of piracy on the high seas or any other place beyond the jurisdiction of any country.

In 1991, the International Chamber of Commerce established an Anti-Piracy Center in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Works in California (USA) The educational center training specialists to combat sea robbers. He trains anti-piracy units for the navies of Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, approved by President Putin on July 21, 2001, notes: “Intensifying cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to ensure maritime safety and combat piracy” is one of the areas of state activity.

At a plenary meeting of the State Duma on October 1, 2008, the chamber approved a protocol instruction to the Security Committee to request information from the relevant ministries and departments “on measures taken to solve the problem of international piracy, ensuring the security of international trade routes, including jointly with other members of the international community.” .

On September 23, 2008, Russia sent the destroyer Neustrashimy from the Baltic Sea to the coastal waters of Somalia. The Statement of the Russian Navy Command states that this was done “in response to the increasing incidence of piracy in the region, the victims of which are also Russian citizens.” Neustrashimy is not yet taking active steps, as negotiations are ongoing with pirates.

There were victories...

In 2005, the cruise ship Seaborne Spirit was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. They appeared unexpectedly on speedboats, armed with machine guns and grenade launchers, and fired at the ship.

The witty captain used an unconventional means of fighting - an acoustic cannon. She stunned the pirates. The ship managed to move to a safe distance.

In May 2006, a real naval battle took place off the coast of Somalia: pirates opened fire on US Navy warships. The guided-missile cruiser Cape St. George and the guided-missile destroyer Gonzales responded with salvos of missile launchers. As a result of the special operation, 12 pirates were detained, including 5 wounded. The impudence of the filibusters who entered into battle with modern warships is amazing.

The word “pirate” itself is primarily associated with 17th-century images of swashbuckling adventures, walking on planks, sword fighting and treasure chests. But who would have thought that maritime piracy would be revived again in recent decades? Only modern pirates are not at all like those we are so accustomed to in the movies. Real pirates are brutal criminals, not romantic heroes fighting for love and friendship.

Modern sea bandits most often operate in the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, off the coast of Somalia and in the Strait of Malacca. They are often armed with AK-47 rifles and grenade launchers. Pirates now sail not on ancient sailing ships, but on high-speed boats and seize merchant ships, yachts and other vessels, often taking hostages captive and demanding ransom for them. Modern piracy poses a serious problem for civilians, with millions of dollars worth of goods looted, bloody murders and treacherous kidnappings occurring every year. Here are 10 of the most shocking cases.

10. Yacht Quest

Photo: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jesse L. Gonzalez

In 2011, 4 Americans took their dream vacation around the world on a yacht called Quest. Unfortunately, the voyage soon turned into a nightmare when they were attacked by Somali pirates 305 km off the coast of Oman. In response, the US Navy sent its aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and three other warships to the area to free the hostages.

Within a few days, the military reached the location of Quest, which the pirates were trying to drive to the coast of Somalia. During negotiations for the release of American citizens, two pirate envoys boarded the USS Sterett, an American guided missile destroyer. Representatives of the Navy offered the pirates an exchange of hostages for an entire yacht, but the bandits refused such a deal, believing that they could get a much more significant ransom for the prisoners.

While the pirate negotiators were sailing back, one of the Somali bandits fired a rocket-propelled grenade from the Quest at the American destroyer. Luckily they missed. The grenade was followed by shooting from the deck of the Quest, and the Americans had to react - the US Navy SEAL team was ordered to recapture the yacht and save the hostages from the aggressors. A short battle took place, during which 2 pirates were killed (one was shot, the other was stabbed to death). The remaining bandits surrendered. Unfortunately, all 4 hostages were killed by pirates - they were shot at and died from their wounds.

The US military also discovered the bodies of 2 more pirates who were killed earlier under unknown circumstances. Perhaps, during the initial seizure of the Quest yacht, American tourists gave a worthy rebuff to the bandits. It is still not clear what exactly made the pirates shoot their prisoners. This story is a reminder to all travelers of the dangers that lurk in the waters of remote seas.

9. Tanker Chaumont

According to experts, one of the most serious dangers associated with modern piracy is the risk environmental disaster. When pirates hijack merchant ships, they most often tie up the crew and leave the ships without control. Sometimes such vessels continue to move at full speed along an uncontrolled trajectory.

The most terrible situation is when a hijacked ship with industrial cargo is deprived of control in a narrow strait. This poses an almost 100% chance that the ship will crash and all its contents (often oil and tanks of chemical liquids) will spill out into the . This is exactly what almost happened in 1999 in the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia when the French tanker Chaumont was captured.

The pirates were armed with machetes and attacked the tanker early in the morning, quickly gaining full control of the vessel. After immobilizing all crew members, the bandits emptied the safe and left the board. The tied-up sailors were unable to free themselves for another 35 minutes, during which the tanker sailed at full speed along the narrow channel. Many still believe that it is a real miracle that Chaumont did not collide with another ship or with underwater rocks. He didn't even land on the reefs that line the entire coastline of the region.

8. Sir Peter Blake

In 2001, the world community was shocked by the murder of Sir Peter Blake, the famous navigator from New Zealand. He was considered one of the most outstanding sailors of all time. Blake twice won the America's Cup, the most prestigious trophy in yachting, and set whole line world records on your boat. In 2001, he began his journey along the Amazon River as part of a research expedition to check the ecological status of the river.

On the night of December 5, Blake and 14 other crew members aboard the yacht Seamaster lowered anchor in the suburb of Macapa when eight pirates armed with guns and knives boarded the ship. While the bandits shouted their demands, Peter grabbed a rifle and shot one of the intruders. A shootout began, in which the legendary navigator was killed. The bandits enriched themselves with a small engine and several pairs of watches. This was the price of Blake's life.

Piracy in Amazon waters is very common. Many believe that the problem has worsened especially in last years, and that local authorities have no influence in the area. Amazon is a total mess. The tragic murder of Sir Peter Blake clearly demonstrates the ugliness of modern piracy. It happens all over the world, and you should be wary of robbers not only in the endless waters of the oceans, but also in other smaller bodies of water.

7. The Tebbutt Kidnapping

In September 2011, British loyal subjects Judith Tebbutt and her husband David (Judith Tebbutt, David) vacationed at an elite resort on the coast of Kenya. They were the only guests at the isolated resort, which Judith immediately did not like. On the second night of their stay at the hotel, the couple were awakened by armed pirates. The wife was forced aboard a boat and taken to Somalia, where she was held hostage in a cramped shelter.

During the captivity, the woman learned that her husband was killed on the night of the attack, when David tried to resist one of the robbers. The pirates were allegedly linked to the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab. In March 2012, the pirates released Judith after 6 months of imprisonment. Apparently, this only happened because Tebbutt's relatives paid a considerable ransom.

6. Ship Maersk Alabama

Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon Rasmussen, US Navy

We will talk about the merchant ship Maersk Alabama, which became especially famous thanks to the film “Captain Philips”, based on the incident. In 2009, this American ship attracted the attention of the entire world community due to an attack on it by pirates. The ship was crossing the Indian Ocean, heading to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, when it was attacked by Somali bandits who sailed in a small motor boat. Despite the resistance of the crew, the pirates managed to board the merchant ship.

Within minutes, the bandits captured the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, but were unable to capture all of the 21 crew members. Many of the sailors were able to lock themselves in a fortified cabin. The crew managed to turn off the ship's engines, preventing the pirates from taking full control of the ship. Moreover, the sailors actively resisted, they even set up an ambush and captured one of the pirates.

The robbers quickly realized that they were not in control of the situation and left the ship. The three pirates decided to try to escape on the Maersk Alabama lifeboat, taking Captain Phillips with them to cover their rear as they sailed back to Somalia.

The boat was pursued by several US warships, which were negotiating with the pirates for the release of the captain. After several days of fruitless negotiations and one failed escape attempt by Captain Phillips, Navy SEAL snipers gunned down all three pirates. The captain was rescued and he and his crew were hailed as heroes for their bravery and resourcefulness.

5. Hijacking of the airliner Achille Lauro (Achille Lauro)

Photo: D.R. Walk

The incident happened in 1985. The Achille Lauro was an Italian liner sailing the Mediterranean with 700 passengers on board. On October 7, the ship landed at Alexandria. Here, many of the ship's guests came ashore to visit the famous pyramids. At this very time, 4 Palestinian militants associated with the Palestinian Liberation Front made their way onto the ship. Brandishing rifles, they seized the liner, ordering it to leave the port along with the 400 people on board, including vacationers and crew. And although many consider these invaders to be terrorists, technically they are more likely to be pirates.

Armed militants demanded the release of 50 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. The Israeli authorities refused to respond to these demands. The pirates sent Achille Lauro to the Syrian port of Tartus, but the Syrian government banned them from sailing into its territory. Angered by the refusal, the pirates responded by shooting a 69-year-old American Jew in a wheelchair and throwing his body overboard. Presumably the choice fell on him for religious reasons.

The plane then went to Egypt, where the hijackers contacted local authorities, released the hostages in exchange for unhindered access to the airport, and received a plane on which they planned to escape to an unknown destination. However, after the aircraft took off, on the orders of US President Ronald Reagan, it was intercepted by American fighters. The flight was forced to land at a NATO base in Italy, where local authorities arrested the pirate hijackers.

4. Ship Naham 3 (The Naham 3)

Photo: Columbia Pictures/Unproduced Screenplays

Naham 3 was a fishing vessel operating in the Indian Ocean in 2012 when it was attacked by Somali pirates. The crew consisted of 29 people hailing from various Asian countries, including China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The sailors were taken to Somalia, where they were held in the desert. The invaders demanded huge prices for the return of the captives safe and sound.

The fishermen said they were often beaten during captivity and had to eat rats and bugs to survive. Two crew members died from illness, another was shot. After 4 and a half years, the pirates received a significantly smaller amount for the captives and still released the 26 remaining hostages home. In total they spent 1672 days in captivity...

3. Vessel Hye Mieko

Hai Myeko was a merchant ship owned by a Singaporean company on a voyage from Singapore to Cambodia in 1995 when it was attacked. The ship, loaded with $2 million worth of cigarettes and other goods, never made it to Cambodia. According to authorities, Hai Mieko was captured by the Chinese coast guard. The crew were likely forced to swim thousands of kilometers more through international waters to southern China.

When the ship arrived at the site, it was sold along with its cargo. It is still not known who sold all the property to whom, and where all the money went. Official China refused to admit its involvement in the incident, despite the fact that it was repeatedly accused of having connections with pirates. What is interesting is that the ship managed to send a distress signal, during which the crew reported an attack by pirates, but no one came to their aid.

The participation of local authorities in pirate raids is not the most common occurrence, but in this case it was almost obvious.

2. Attack on the liner Seabourn Spirit

Photo: Ivan T.

In 2005, the cruise ship Seaburn Spirit was sailing 160 km off the coast of Somalia when it was attacked by pirates. Two boats carrying heavily armed bandits circled the ship with 300 passengers on board and then opened fire. The ship was fired at from machine guns and grenade launchers several times. Two of the ship's security officers, Michael Groves and Som Bahadur Gurung, attempted to repel the robbers using a high-pressure hose and a high-tech LRAD-type sonic cannon.

During the battle, Gurund was wounded by shrapnel from a grenade launcher explosion, but Grove managed to drag him to safety and then continued to fight the sea bandits under heavy fire. Half an hour later, the pirates finally gave up and retreated, and the Seaburn Spirit liner was able to sail further out to sea to a safe distance. For their courage, Grove and Gurund were awarded medals of honor from the hands of the Queen of England herself.

1. Cargo ship Erria Inge

The Australian cargo ship Erria Inge was leased by a Chinese company in 1990. After a few months, both the ship's owner and the lessee company lost contact with the ship and its crew. It was believed that Erria Inge was attacked by pirates. Then, through a series of circumstantial evidence, it became clear that the ship was given a new name, and forged documents indicated that the stolen ship was used to deliver illegal cargo. Pirates do this quite often, knowing that none of the ordinary shipping companies will rush to risk their lives and return their ships.

The mysterious story of Erria Inge continued in 1992, when employees of the new owner of the ship, who bought it for scrap metal, committed unusual discovery. In a long-unused freezer, they discovered the remains of 10 burned bodies. It was completely unclear who these victims were or what happened to them, but there was little doubt about the involvement of pirates. A shocking discovery aboard the hijacked ship Erria Inge is an eerie reminder of the danger that still lurks in modern seas.

Contrary to general belief, the life of pirates was strictly regulated. Gambling, fighting, and drunkenness were prohibited on the ship. Failure to comply with orders was severely punished. For the presence of a woman on board, the culprit was expected to be hanged. Anyone who voluntarily left a ship or his place during a battle was sentenced to death or landing on a desert island.

When recruiting a crew, the captain drew up an agreement outlining all aspects of the joint fishery. Pirates were based on the islands, often creating peculiar “republics”, the most famous of which is Tortuga. There was an unwritten code of conduct on land that regulated the lives of sea robbers. The pirates did not mint their own money, preferring to use the loot, not just piastres.

The famous pirate Alexander Exquemelin, who “moonlighted” as a sea robbery in 1667 - 1672, wrote in the book “Pirates of America” that gentlemen of fortune help each other. If the pirate has nothing, he is supplied with what he needs, waiting a long time for payment. The trial of the members of the pirate brotherhood was carried out by themselves, considering each case individually. The captain of the ship was an inviolable figure, his power was absolute, as long as he did not make a mistake in the eyes of the crew, who could take their life for it.

Equality and brotherhood did not extend to the division of spoils. Team members who were not directly involved in the battle received less than their colleagues. The owner of the ship received half of all production. The captain was entitled to 2-3 shares, his assistants received 1.75 shares; newcomers, participating in battle for the first time, were content with a quarter share. Moreover, at first the loot was put into a common pile. After which the captain carried out the distribution, taking into account the need to have money to repair the ship, replenish supplies of provisions, gunpowder, bullets and cannonballs.

The division did not affect captured weapons - everything you took in battle is yours. For severe injuries, compensation was awarded, about 400 ducats. The famous English navigator and pirate Henry Morgan diversified the payments: the right hand was worth 600 pesos, the left hand or right leg - 500 pesos, for the loss of the left leg there were 400 pesos, eyes - 100 pesos. In 1600, one peso was equal to approximately 50 modern pounds sterling. Medicines and medical care were highly valued. Even Blackbeard, merciless to his opponents, obtained three doctors for his team.

Anyone who wanted to quit piracy had to pay the team 10,000 in any currency.

Maritime piracy- robbery at sea, the seizure of merchant ships for the purpose of obtaining ransom or selling the captured cargo. IN mass consciousness is associated more with the events of the Middle Ages, but in reality this problem is extremely relevant today. The actions of Somali pirates are now best known, but in fact this is far from the only area of their active operations...

Sea piracy has been known since antiquity (the most famous in this regard are the Phoenician pirates, who at the same time made many geographical discoveries). Piracy was extremely developed in the Middle Ages and in modern times, and it covered many regions of the world. In addition to piracy itself, which was considered direct banditry, there was such a phenomenon as privateering - also piracy, but with the presence of an official patent from the government of a country.

For example, privateers with a British patent robbed French and Spanish ships and vice versa. Chinese pirates were very active in East Asia. During the two world wars, actions similar to privateering were carried out by German raiders (auxiliary cruisers).

Currently, the main areas of activity for sea pirates are the Gulf of Guinea and Aden, the Strait of Malacca, and the South China Sea. Their actions are facilitated by political instability in countries adjacent to the coast of these water areas, the presence of numerous convenient shelters on the shore, and intensive shipping in these areas. The significant income pirates receive from ransoms for ships, their crews and cargo allows them to purchase high-speed boats and boats, weapons, and communications equipment, which makes their actions even more effective.

The world's navies are not equipped to combat maritime piracy, since pirate boats are very numerous, fast and extremely small targets. Warships are not equipped to deal with such targets. In addition, the fight against maritime piracy is extremely difficult for legal reasons.

Firstly, it is unclear whose jurisdiction is over pirates captured in international waters. If medieval pirates who did not have a charter of marque were hanged on yards, then modern pirates, especially if they managed to throw their weapons overboard, are either simply released or handed over to the authorities of their country, where they, as a rule, immediately find themselves free (the most striking example - Somalia).

Secondly, the jurisdiction of ships captured by pirates is often unclear. Modern merchant shipping is internationalized like, apparently, no other sector of the world economy. Vessels, as a rule, sail under flags of convenience (Panama, Liberia, Mongolia, Cambodia, etc.), and their crews almost always consist of representatives of several countries. As a result, it is often unclear who exactly should protect each particular vessel.

The country to which the ship formally belongs, in reality has nothing to do with it, and, moreover, does not have the forces and means to free the ships. Therefore, the seizure of a ship by pirates becomes, as a rule, a problem only and exclusively for the shipowner company, which often has neither the means nor the desire to save the ship and sailors (and the sailors, as already mentioned, may have no relation to the country whose flag flutters over the ship, nor to the country where the shipowner company is “registered”). Paying a ransom is very often the only possible option.

As a result, although, for example, in the western part of the Indian Ocean today, in order to combat maritime piracy, there are a NATO naval unit, a squadron of the European Union (separate from NATO), an operational unit of the US Navy (also separate from NATO), warships of Russia, Japan, China , India, South Korea, Iran, the number of ships captured by pirates and the amount of ransoms for them continue to grow.

Some facts about modern piracy:

The amount of ransoms received by Somali pirates near the Horn of Africa in 2005–2012 is estimated at $339–413 million. The average sum is $2.7 million.

Ordinary pirates receive $30–75 thousand for a successful operation, with the first person to climb aboard a captured ship, as well as those who come with their own weapons or ladder, receiving a bonus of $10 thousand.

Khat, which is chewed incessantly, including in Somalia, is often supplied to pirates on credit. Its quantity is strictly taken into account, and after the operation the pirate receives his share of the profit minus the cost of khat, which is three times higher at sea than on the mainland.

The pirate's salary is also deducted for food plus fines: for example, for cruelty towards the ship's crew, you can lose $5 thousand - the pirate code, just like in the good old days. As a result, those who are especially unrestrained sometimes do not earn anything from the raid or end up in debt.

Part of the loot goes to cooks, middlemen, lucky owners of currency detectors (to check the authenticity of banknotes) and lawyers (who are in constant high demand) for their services. They also pay local law enforcement officers and terrorists (Al-Shabaab, for example, takes 20% from pirates as a “development tax”) so that they are not touched.

Former pirates are settling down on land as best they can. They often make a living by providing services for real and potential victims of their recent colleagues - they become “consultants” or negotiators.

Funding pirate expeditions is not as expensive as one might think. A standard outing can cost only a few hundred dollars, so participants can easily chip in for the venture on their own. Large trips on several vessels cost up to $30 thousand and require professional financing. The financiers are then military or civilian, khat traders, fishermen and former pirates. For their services they demand from 30% to 75% of the ransom.

The average transaction involves 3-5 investors. Since decent Somalis keep money away from their homeland, they have to invent laundering schemes to return funds to Somalia.

The country's financial sector is doing surprisingly well and growing faster than government institutions. In particular, an Internet payment system is being developed, including in very troubled parts of the state.

Revenues from piracy activities flow out of Somalia mainly through the Republic of Djibouti, Kenya and the UAE.

A third of financiers from piracy spend their money on forming a kind of “people's militia” and their own political influence. Many people invest in the khat trade - this is a large and also legal business.

Maritime Piracy Map

Cape Verde.

These islands are located near the African continent, and many residents of this continent strive to get to them in search of better jobs. Therefore, attempts to seize private yachts are not uncommon in that area. But it’s better not to land on the islands themselves, drug smuggling flourishes there, and according to the sailors who visited there, they have never seen so many drug addicts anywhere. You can be attacked at any time, but thefts are quite common there. There are frequent cases of attacks by criminals on yachts laid up near the shore.

Brazil.

In Brazil, spontaneous attacks on ships by organized gangs periodically occur. This country, along with Somalia, are the only countries in the world where pirates are not afraid to attack not only small yachts, but also merchant ships. Recently, bandits attacked the yacht “Seamaster” of the Englishman Peter Blake, not afraid of either the size of the vessel (36 m) or the 10 well-trained crew members.

A little earlier, two more yachts were attacked, both large, one German, the other a luxurious French yacht “Jongert”. And despite the crew’s attempts to resist, all three were completely looted. Brazil's coastline stretches for hundreds of kilometers, and is replete with small bays and river mouths where bandits can quickly escape after an attack. The most dangerous are considered to be the mouth of the Amazon and the areas of Santos and Forteleza, where modern piracy especially flourishing.

Venezuela

In the memory of many sailors, the territorial waters of this country left dark memories. Until recently, pirate attacks occurred very often, especially in the eastern region. Although, mostly, piracy there is carried out by poor fishermen, forced to do it due to lack of livelihood.

Also, the blatant case of an attempt to seize a German yacht by members of the Venezuelan coast guard became known to the world community! Although the government of the country categorically denies this fact, declaring that it was just a showdown between local drug dealers, well, yes, we readily believe. The areas around the islands of Puerto La Cruz and Margarita are especially dangerous. You also need to be especially careful near the peninsula of Paria and Araya, near the mouth of the Amacuro and Pedernales rivers.

Trinidad

Until recently, these places were considered safe for swimming, but everything changed for the worse last year. Especially in the Chaguaramas region, cases of attempts to seize ships by bandits on boats with outboard motors have become more frequent. You should not go ashore, there is every chance of being robbed or even killed.

Colombia

Here, cases of piracy are quite rare, despite the poor image of the country itself. The last serious incident of maritime attack occurred on September 29, 2002, when three American yachts were attacked in the area of Puerto Hermosa, 50 km northeast of the border with Venezuela. And the governments of these countries are pointing fingers at each other, claiming that it is from the territories of their neighbors that the raiders are carrying out their raids on ships.

The most dangerous area where you can be attacked by corsairs is the southern part of the Gulf of Uraba, where drugs are smuggled by boat.

Nicaragua and Honduras

Both of these countries were hit hard by Hurricane Mitch and the earthquake. Due to political instability, banditry and violence are rampant in these countries. In addition, the governments of these states are constantly arguing about the borders of their countries. There are very few police and military personnel on the coasts, so there are frequent cases of attacks on tourists, both on the shore and at sea. Modern piracy, is not uncommon here.

Somalia

This country has become famous throughout the world thanks to constant attacks by pirates. For many years, Somalia has been Civil War, lawlessness and anarchy reign in this state. Somali pirates are famous for their brutality, they are well armed and organized. Each gang is subordinate to the leader of the clan, and the entire coast of Somalia is divided among the raiders, and each area has its own gang of robbers.

They travel on small vessels, numbering 5-8 people, and go far into the sea in search of commercial vessels. Ships located in the Gulf of Aden are not recommended to approach the coastline closer than 100 nautical miles. And despite the constant patrolling of American, French, and German warships in these waters, the situation is not getting any better. Undoubtedly, Somalia is the main patrimony in the world of sea robbers.

compilation of material – Fox