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The risk of kidnapping of sailors increases in the Gulf of Guinea

(B2) Violent attacks on ships and crews spiked in early 2020, with 77 sailors taken hostage or kidnapped for ransom since January

The Gulf of Guinea by far the most dangerous

The Gulf of Guinea (West Africa) becomes more and more dangerous “, representing almost all (more than 90%) of maritime kidnappings in the world, according to the latest report from the International Maritime Bureau (BMI). 49 of the 54 crew members reported as kidnapped were in this area alone. They were held captive on land for up to six weeks, until a ransom was paid. To this must be added 23 crew members (simply) taken hostage.

More frequent and more distant attacks

The rates are accelerating, with 32 crew members kidnapped in the last three months alone, in six separate incidents in Q17 (compared to 20 crew members kidnapped in three separate incidents in Q130). And they happen further out to sea. Two-thirds of the ships were attacked on the high seas, between about XNUMX and XNUMX nautical miles offshore. " Attackers armed with knives and rifles now target crews of all ship types. Everyone is vulnerable “, alarmed the director of the BMI, Michael Howlett.

In Somalia, dead calm

However, no incident has been reported off Somalia, where the EU anti-piracy operation (EUNAVFOR Atalanta) is present. Simply, ships are requested to continue to apply good precautionary practices, summarized in the BMP5 standard “ when they pass through these waters ». “Somali pirates still have the ability to carry out attacks “, nevertheless warns the BMI.

(NGV)

Download the communicated and investigation report

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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