Posted on Cruise Law Blog / Blog / Why Do Pirates Attack Cruise Ships?
Before the ongoing pandemic, pirate attacks were a huge concern for passengers aboard a cruise ship. The cases of pirate attacks have fallen and the pirate fairy tales have faded away over the years, but, it remains a threat for passengers in the modern-day.
A pirate attack on a ship happens more often than you would think. However, now more pirates are attacking cruise ships rather than cargo ships.
The majority of the cases happen in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, parts of Asia, the Red Sea, and more with a country’s State Department always issuing travel warnings for such events.
We’ve seen recent movies like “Captain Phillips” where Somali pirates capture the ship near the Somali coast, however, these are just movies. What about real life? And do cruise ships protect their passengers today in case of a pirate attack?
Gone are the days where pirates took over a cargo ship with swords and skills. Nowadays, piracy has become a multi-billion dollar business run by organized crime syndicates. Cruise ship passengers have millions of dollars onboard in cash, valuables, and other assets that pirates have interest in, and the amount gets split among the echelons of the crime group with each pirate receiving around $30,000 to $75,000 for the hijacking.
Pirates were famous for taking control of cargo vessels with their AK-47s and angry young men with hot-tempered attitudes, however, over the years their focus has turned towards cruise ships.
There have been six reported incidents of pirates attempting to board ships, particularly cruise ships in the last decade. Let’s look at these details to determine the intensity of these attacks.
These six cruise ships attacked by pirates with automatic weapons may not weigh in comparison to pirates attempting to hijack fishing boats, cargo ships, and other non-passenger vessels. But they clearly are a huge concern for passengers aboard cruise liners. Sonic waves and newer methods are now being used, with limited success at evading pirate activity on the high seas.
There is no particular law in place that cruise lines must follow to ensure the safety of their passengers from pirate attacks. However, International Maritime Organization suggests some tactics to evade pirate attacks and ransom paid for terrorist attacks.
Some cruise lines take security measures seriously and get information and insights on the situation at sea from tracking companies and maritime information.
These cruise lines also have security officers aboard the ship who are always on the lookout for any suspicious movements in the sea. Blogger, Anastasia Tyler reported they during her cruise, there were well-equipped two snipers on board her ship to fight off attackers from boarding illegally. Our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys will explain everything when you receive your free consultation.
Pirates are definitely a concern for passengers, however, a bigger concern is the negligence of cruise lines that cause multiple accidents each year. Contact Ehline Law and our Los Angeles cruise ship attorneys at (213) 596-9642 if you’ve gotten injured on a cruise ship and are seeking legal help!
Downtown Los Angeles Office
633 West 5th Street #2890
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 596-9642
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Downtown Los Angeles Office
633 West 5th Street #2890
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 596-9642
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