What's the story with those pirates off the Horn of Africa? Who's behind it? Where do they come from, and where do they go? How do they do it, and how do they get away with it? Why isn't something being done about it? What IS being done about it? This article will attempt to answer those questions.
First, some facts: So far this year there have been 95 attempted ship seizures by pirates in the waters around the Horn of Africa, 39 of them successful. Besides the ships, there are presently around 268 merchant seamen being held for ransom in Somalia. The pirates have been paid around 30 million dollars this year in extortion fees. They recently demanded 25 million dollars for the oil tanker Sirius Star.