PIRACY INCIDENTS IN ASIA

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, July 29 (Bernama) -- Forty-three incidents of piracy and armed robbery involving ships were reported in Asia in the first six months of the year, according to a regional report on piracy.

Of these, 38 were actual and five were attempted incidents, the Regional
Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in
Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) said in its half-yearly report
released Wednesday.

It said, of the 38 actual incidents, eight were incidents of piracy -- of
which seven were reported in the South China Sea and one in the Straits of
Malacca and Singapore -- while the rest were incidents of armed robbery.

There was a decline in the total number of incidents reported during the
Jan-June 2009 period as compared to the same period of 2005-2008, ReCAAP ISC
said, adding that the drop was due to a decline in the number of attempted
incidents this year.

However, there had been an increase in the number of actual incidents
between January and June this year, as compared to the same period last year.

The increase was more apparent in the moderately significant incidents
involving ships, mainly tug boats which were slow in speed when in towing
operations, with low freeboard and have lesser crew, and hence, more vulnerable
to attack, said ReCAAP ISC.
-- BERNAMA