PIRACY WARNING: The RYA is renewing its warning to yachts to avoid high risk areas because the Somali pirate threat still remains.
The warning comes in the wake of an unsuccessful attack on a fully laden super tanker 230 miles off the Somali Coast.
RYA warns that sailing yachts are ‘soft targets’ and offer rich pickings for pirates.
“Had this attack been a sailing yacht and not a super tanker with protection then it would have been successful and the crew taken hostage for ransom,” said Stuart Carruthers, RYA cruising manager.
The organisation is continuing to do all it can to combat piracy and has met with the naval forces including NATO and the Combined Maritime Forces a number of times to discuss the on-going threat from Somalia.
Although levels of piracy have dropped in the past 18 months, the political and economic situation in Somalia remains unstable. This means that piracy still offers rich pickings.
The high risk areas for piracy are the Southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Western Indian Ocean. The RYA warns that anyone considering taking a chance to visit these places should read the advisory and think hard about the risk involved both in terms of their own safety and that of their crew.
Via: http://www.boatingbusiness.com/
