PIRACY INCIDENTS IN ASIA DOUBLED IN APRIL

SINGAPORE, May 26 (Bernama) -- Sixteen incidents of piracy and armed
robbery against ships were reported in Asia last month, doubling the figure
recorded in the same month a year ago.

However, it is not known if the increase was due to the willingness of ship
owners and ship masters to report incidents involving their ships to the
authorities, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy
and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC),
here, Wednesday.

In a statement, the centre said this could also be due to the evolvement to
the area and successful robberies, thus emboldening the sea robbers to commit
crime.

It is said that the increase in the number of incidents in April 2010 was
apparent in waters off Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam and in the South China
Sea.

ReCAAP said there was also an increase in the number of incidents which
exhibited some degree of planning by pirates who appeared to be well organised
and possibly, operated in syndicates in the South China Sea.
-- BERNAMA