KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – An international maritime watchdog says world sea piracy fell 35 percent in the first quarter of this year as international navies helped keep pirates away from Somalia.
The International Maritime Bureau says 66 attacks were recorded worldwide in the first three months, down from 102 in the same period last year. It said Monday that five vessels were hijacked with 75 crew members taken hostage and one killed.
While once rampant attacks off the coast of Somalia continue to decline, piracy is becoming a greater concern in the Gulf of Guinea in western Africa. The bureau reports 15 attacks in the gulf, including three hijackings.
Sea piracy plunged to its lowest level in five years in 2012. A total of 297 attacks were recorded worldwide, down from 439 in 2011.
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