Incidents of piracy at sea in West Africa almost doubled last year, according to a new report by Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP). Here, three of the world’s piracy hot spots:
NIGERIA
The spring of 2016 saw a spike in attacks off Nigeria, linked to militant activity. The OBP recorded 18 kidnapping assaults on merchant vessels between March and May, while some 96 sailors were abducted.
SOMALIA
Attacks off the Horn of Africa have decreased since 2011, but the OBP warns of a looming resurgence due to “decreased vigilance.” In March, Somali pirates seized an oil tanker, the first major hijacking there in five years.
SULU AND CELEBES SEAS
Piracy across Asia fell overall in 2016, but kidnappings rose in the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, where the al-Qaeda-linked group Abu Sayyaf is active. Merchant ships and tourist yachts are now at risk.
This appears in the May 15, 2017 issue of TIME.
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