An interesting article on the topic of why stories about Somali pirates disappeared from the news, which was one of the central topics in the news 5 years ago.

Where did the Somali pirates go?

Since May 10, 2012, the most famous sea robbers of the 21st century have not managed to capture a single merchant ship. The main merit in the victory over them belongs to one family.

In 2008, they hijacked 42 ships, earning about $80 million in ransoms. That year, London obstetrician Denis Tsepov wrote in his LiveJournal: “A Somali girl of dazzling beauty, all in black and large diamonds, came to give birth tonight. With her were about seven impudent fellows in the costumes of Comme des Garçons. Having obtained a beautiful boy for the girl, I plucked up courage and asked: “And what do you do in life, child, if it’s not a secret?” They replied: “Ordinary Somali sailors, and for what purpose are you interested?” As implausible as this story may be, it accurately reflects the early romantic myth of the Somali pirates, tarnished even faster than their very craft was destroyed.

Coercion to piracy

By 2005, when pirates seized the first large ship of an international company in the Gulf of Aden, the war in Somalia had been going on for almost 30 years. After the war with Ethiopia, a series of uprisings followed, which literally tore the country into shreds controlled by warring warlords. Poachers took advantage of the lack of a border guard. Trawlers from around the world scooped $300 million worth of tuna, shrimp and lobster from Somali waters a year. Worse, firms linked to the Italian mafia have begun dumping toxic waste into local waters. So the only source of income for the already impoverished Somali fishermen dried up. After a brief attempt to take a "duty" from foreign scavengers and poachers, they discovered a truly profitable business for themselves.

French tuna seiner Trevignon. In 2010, he repelled an attack by Somali pirates by ramming and sinking their boat. Photo: Marcel Mochet / AFP / East News.

Attack tactics

Technical equipment - walkie-talkies, later GPS-navigators appeared. Intelligence is a bribe to an official in a Kenyan port. Two wooden boats with outboard motors of 60 horsepower accelerate to 25 knots (46 km / h) and catch up with a bulk carrier or tanker in international waters. To force the captain to slow down, the pirates open warning fire from rusty Kalashnikovs in the direction of the cabin and demonstrate their readiness to fire from a grenade launcher. They are looking for a lower board in order to throw a ladder and climb onto the deck. They seize the captain's bridge and, under the threat of weapons, take the ship to their harbor. A ship whose side rises at least 8 meters above the water, or capable of reaching speeds above 18 knots (33 km / h), remains impregnable.

Pirates aim at the crew of the Chinese fishing boat Tian Yu on November 17, 2008. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky / US NAVY / AFP / East News.

Somalis rarely moved from threats to violence. Between 2008 and 2012, when they hijacked 170 ships with 3,400 crew members, 25 sailors were killed. Another 37 starved to death or committed suicide in captivity.

Locations of attacks by Somali pirates in 2005-2010. Map: Planemad according to NGA - Maritime Safety Information.

Business model

In the best year for this business in 2010, ransoms for 47 hijacked ships amounted to approximately $238 million. Most of the profits went to the expedition investors: local clan leaders and boat owners. Of the average ransom of $ 2.7 million, an ordinary sailor counted on only $ 30,000 - 75,000. Negotiations with ship owners went on for several months. At this time, the pirate crew lived on the trophy, and the investor deducted from his share the cost of food, prostitutes, communications and the local drug "khat". Few of the rank and file went ashore with more than $10,000-20,000, but that's a lot of money for a country where the average annual income does not exceed $300. The Washington Post in 2009 quoted a Somali response to a question about how pirates differ from inland fighters: "They're not skinny, they have glowing faces, and they're always happy."

Boats commonly used for pirate attacks. Hobyo, northeast coast of Somalia, January 4, 2010. Photo: Mohamed Dahir / AFP / East News.

Shipping losses

2008 - 42 hijackings, 2009 - 46, 2010 - 47, 2011 - 28, and each one was loud in the news, creating the appearance of a significant threat to world shipping. However, at least 21,000 merchant ships pass Somalia from the oil states of the Persian Gulf to Europe and back every year. Even in the fattest years for themselves, Somalis threatened tenths of a percent of them, and fear caused the main damage to shipowners. for fuel to accelerate to a safe 18 knots - $ 2.7 billion, the installation of protective equipment and the hiring of armed guards - over $ 1 billion.

Crew members and Faina owner Vadim Alperin (third from right) during mooring in the Kenyan port of Mombasa, where the ship arrived after being released. February 12, 2009. Photo: Sayyid Azim / AP Photo / East News

The Loudest Captures

September 25, 2008 - cargo ship "Faina" with a Ukrainian crew, he was transporting four dozen T-72 tanks, grenade launchers and anti-aircraft guns to Kenya. The ransom amounted to $3.2 million.

April 8, 2009 - container ship Maersk Alabama under the US flag. The crew locked themselves in the engine room, blocked the controls, and later captured one of the Somalis. Three others sailed away in a lifeboat, holding Captain Phillips hostage. The next day, they were all shot by snipers from the American Navy SEALs, the captain was not injured. In the film based on this story, his role was played by Tom Hanks. The commando team that rescued Phillips would kill Osama bin Laden two years later.

November 15, 2008 - 330-meter supertanker Sirius Star, carrying 2.2 million barrels of oil worth about $100 million. A ransom of $3 million was paid for the largest Somali booty in history.

May 5, 2010 - oil tanker "Moscow University"; the Russian crew barricaded themselves in the hold and called the Marshal Shaposhnikov warship for help. The Marines took the ship by storm. According to the official version, the pirates were put into an inflatable boat with a small supply of food and water, but no means of navigation, and they could not reach the shore. According to unofficial information, they were shot.

May 10, 2012 - Greek supertanker Smyrni hijacked with 1 million barrels of oil. According to the leader of the pirates, they received a record $9.5 million.

A French helicopter based on the Nivose frigate hovered over a boat carrying piracy suspects. April 2009. Photo: Pierre Verdy / AFP / East News

military operation

Somali piracy has been a good reason to establish international cooperation to protect trade and at the same time to establish a military presence on a critical oil route: gangsters in boats with outboard motors are now hunted by warships from 21 countries. This is the largest coalition of fleets of different countries in history and the first time in history when all the permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France, China - oppose a common enemy. It is difficult to say whether the participants in the operation achieve their unspoken goals, but warships are not well adapted to combat coastal piracy. In the year since they began patrolling in 2008, the number of attacks on merchant ships has doubled. Later it was possible to turn the tide only with the help of monitoring the sea from drones. In doing so, every success of the patrol was documented, emphasizing the impressive disproportion of the opponents.

Victory on the Shore

Private initiative has become a successful alternative to the expensive and inefficient efforts of state machines. In 2012, 80% of merchant ships passed Somalia with armed guards on deck. Entering the ports with weapons is legally impossible, so private military companies maintain floating bases in the region, where ships take fighters on board and say goodbye to them, passing the dangerous area. The cost of the services of a team of 3-4 guards ranges from $28,000 to $38,000, which is an order of magnitude less than the minimum ransom. Pirates have never managed to capture a protected vessel.

But the main victory was achieved on the coast, and it was paid for by one family - Al Nahyan, the ruling dynasty of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Taking the threat to the tanker fleet seriously, the oil sheikhs took the 1.5 million Somali province of Puntland, now living as an independent state, under their wing. At one time, most of the pirate bases were located on its shores.

Political map of the environs of Somalia in 2013

Having had the bad experience of creating their own army - "Muslims don't want to kill other Muslims" - the Al Nahyans hired Erik Prince, a former CIA agent and creator of the world's leading private military company Blackwater / Xe Services / Academi, as advisers. He is building the armed forces of the UAE from Colombian contract soldiers, and since 2010, with the $ 50 million allocated by the sheikhs, he has formed a special detachment of the Puntland Maritime Police Force in Puntland. The instructors and commanders in it were South African mercenaries, experts in the fight against guerrillas, known for the most brutal methods of training and maintaining discipline - UN inspectors recorded cases of beating and killing of cadets.

The result of their work was the creation of the best combat unit in this part of Africa. A detachment of 1,000 soldiers, armed with boats, light aircraft and helicopters, managed to destroy the ground bases of Somali pirates and all their fishing in two years. Since May 10, 2012, they have captured only one ship - an Iranian poacher, whom no one wanted to protect. “This project was conceived and executed by people who we can call pariahs who are not part of a civilized society. But it has become one of the most effective and efficient solutions to the problem of piracy,” Foreign Policy quotes Robert Young Pelton, author of License to Kill: Mercenaries in the War on Terror.

In 2010, the world's largest prison for pirates with 500 places was opened in the capital of Puntland, Garowe, with UN funds, and there are no empty ones there. Today, the waters of Nigeria and Guinea are considered the most dangerous areas for navigation off the coast of Africa.

Piracy suspects detained by French marines in the Gulf of Aden after being handed over to the Puntland authorities, January 2009. Photo: AP Photo / East News

Since the beginning of the 21st century, ships from 62 countries of the world have been subjected to pirate attacks. More than a hundred groups are engaged in sea robbery. Why haven't they been defeated yet?

What kind of phenomenon is this - pirates in the XXI century? Why did Somalia become the base of modern pirates? Renat Irikovich Bekkin, senior researcher at the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, lecturer at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (U) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. He recently returned from a scientific trip to Somalia.

- Why did the pirates of the 21st century choose Somalia?

In fact, international sea robbery today takes place not only off the coast of Somalia. Gentlemen of Fortune from Southeast Asia, unlike their Somali counterparts, are extremely cruel. Compared to the pirates "working" in the Strait of Malacca, Somalis are harmless sheep, noble knights. And in the territorial waters of Indonesia, professional gangs are engaged in piracy. Do not disdain piracy and separatist partisans, as well as sailors and fishermen who have lost their jobs. Pirates are actively involved in smuggling activities.

But there are not so few poor countries in the world. In the same Africa. Why did piracy spread in Somalia? Indeed, since the beginning of the year, Somali pirates have seized over 30 ships. Are there any historical background for the spread of piracy in Somalia?

We can talk more about geographical than historical prerequisites. Ships going from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and back through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait cannot pass the Gulf of Aden and are a tasty morsel for lanky swarthy gentlemen from Somalia. Through the Gulf of Aden lies the path from Europe to South and East Asia, Australia. The aforementioned Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia opens up no less opportunities for pirates - one of the busiest sea routes. And the numerous islands scattered in the inland seas of Indonesia are a paradise for pirate bases. And in Africa, Somalia is far from the only place where pirates operate. Among the places of their greatest activity, I would single out the coast of Nigeria and the south of the continent.

- What makes people become pirates? Who is he, a typical Somali pirate?

Whatever we say about pirate romance, piracy is based on poverty. Let's not forget that most of the once unified state of Somalia is dominated by the leaders of various clans and tribes.

UN employees complain: they send a cargo of humanitarian aid to Somalia, but before it reaches its destination, it is intercepted by representatives of other clans left deprived of food distribution.

Most Somali pirates are young people who are unable to find good jobs. For them, piracy is shrouded in a halo of romance. The opportunity to get involved in an interesting adventure and at the same time earn huge money, comparable to the pre-crisis Christmas bonuses of top managers from Wall Street, pushes young people into the ranks of gentlemen of fortune. According to my information, among the pirates there are no immigrants from Somaliland - a de facto independent state in the north of the Somali Peninsula. Somaliland has been living in peace and relative prosperity compared to other parts of the once unified state of Somalia since 1991, and therefore the profession of a pirate is not very popular here. Most of the pirates come from the Majertan and Hawiye clans, from Puntland, a buffer quasi-state in the northeast of the Somali Peninsula.

Somali pirates try not to shed the blood of captured crews, they treat them humanely. And this despite the fact that the low level of medical care has taught people to be calm about the prospect of their own premature death or the death of loved ones. By the way, as one of the justifications for piracy, the Somalis cite the following argument: foreign ships freely use the territorial waters of Somalia, and the people do not receive anything from this. As for the Faina ship, according to information leaked to the media, it was transporting weapons destined for the rebels in South Sudan, that is, it grossly violated the norms of international law. If this information is confirmed, then we can say that some criminals captured others.

- And what about the Caribbean Sea, which is familiar to fans of Hollywood?

The Caribbean Sea, as well as the entire American continent, according to the notorious Monroe Doctrine, is a zone of US strategic interests. Therefore, the pirate industry put on a grand scale in this area has no chance to exist. Although individual pirate attacks take place off the coast of South America.

The picture of the capture of the ship "Faina" amazes the modern viewer. Somali pirates on boats and fragile boats board a huge ship, the side of which exceeds the entire flotilla of gentlemen of fortune by 6-8 meters. "Faina" could have accelerated, and the pirates would not have had a single chance to stop her, why didn't this happen? What are the latest pirate technologies from Somalia's filibusters?

When I traveled around Somalia, I met people who could very well be pirates. In ordinary life, they can be civilians, have a peaceful profession, and in their free time trade in piracy. Somalis are an amazing people, I have never met such positive people. The man has nothing but a ramshackle wicker house and a dollar a day's food, but he beams with a smile. Skeptics say that the reason for this is khat - a narcotic grass that Somalis chew without exception. You chew this cat, and it becomes fun and carefree in your soul. But seriously, the fact that the crews of the ships they seize, as a rule, do not put up any resistance to them, certainly gives confidence to the pirates. Because sea robbers act with lightning speed. They suddenly attack the ship and actively fire on it from grenade launchers and machine guns. But even in those cases when it is possible to neutralize the pirates, they are soon released. (Many experts believe that representatives of local authorities and the police are covering for pirates, because they share their booty with them. - Approx. Ed.)

Special attitude in Somalia to the Russians. In the 70-80s. in Somalia they built a local model of socialism, and good relations were built between our countries. Especially before the Somali-Ethiopian war of 1977, where the Soviet Union had to take the side of Ethiopia. Many Somalis studied in the USSR. I met them during my trip to Somalia. This is, without any exaggeration, a white bone, a layer of the most educated people in the country.

In July of this year, the UN adopted a document allowing the navy of a third country to enter the territorial waters of Somalia and stop the activities of pirates. Is there a force now capable of bringing order to Somalia and putting an end to piracy?

As recent events have shown, the Somali Sharia Courts Union has proven its ability to bring order and curb crime. But as soon as they managed to gain a foothold and begin the unification of southern Somalia, the United States intervened in the situation, which, through the hands of Ethiopia, prevented the unification process in the country. The US interest is to prevent the creation of a single and strong Islamic state in Somalia. Ethiopia is also not interested in the revival of Somali statehood. After the death of more than 130 UN peacekeepers and the loss of about $3 billion in 1993 during Operation Restore Hope, the world community has no desire to get involved in a showdown between clans.

On October 1, the ambassador of the virtually non-existent state of Somalia announced that the Somali government would soon recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. How do you rate this step?

From a tactical point of view, this may be a good move, but from a strategic point of view, it is sheer stupidity. The motives of the leadership of Somalia are clear. It makes this gesture of goodwill in the hope of getting support from Moscow. If Somalia recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia, then the US will have no reason not to recognize Somaliland, where the Americans have certain interests. And then it will be possible to put a big fat cross on the unity of Somalia.

* By the time the issue was signed, we had no new information about the fate of Faina and the crew.

Pirate seizures of ships in the 21st century

According to the International Anti-Piracy Center, since the beginning of the 21st century, ships from 62 countries of the world* have been attacked in the coastal seas of 56 countries. More than a hundred groups are engaged in sea robbery.

According to the classification of the International Maritime Organization, modern pirate groups are conditionally divided into three types:

1. Small groups (up to 5 people) armed with knives and pistols. They attack ships in the harbor or the open sea, using the element of surprise. They rob the ship's cash desk and passengers, reload part of the cargo onto their boats and boats. The total number is from 8-10 thousand people around the world.

2. Gangs (up to 30 people), armed with heavy machine guns, machine guns and grenade launchers, often kill the crew of a captured ship, take away the ship and cargo. The total number is about 300 thousand people worldwide.

3. International organized groups seize ships with especially valuable cargo (today it is oil and oil products). They have modern satellite navigation and communication facilities, a network of agents, cover in power structures. Most often, tankers, bulk carriers, container ships are robbed. Sometimes they attack private yachts. In 2001, there was a scandal - pirates on the Amazon killed the owner of the America's Cup, yachtsman Peter Blake. Experts believe that from the stolen ships, pirate syndicates organized a shipping network with a turnover of about $ 5 billion a year.

The geography of action of pirates of the XXI century - the coastal waters of Asia, Africa, Latin America.

Main attack areas:

1. Southeast Asia and the South China Sea (Strait of Malacca, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand).
2. West Africa (Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Ghana), Indian Ocean, East Africa (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania).
3. South America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guyana).

The most "popular" place of attacks is the coastal waters of Indonesia.

The annual damage from piracy around the world is $40 billion.

Based on the materials of the annual reports of the International Maritime Bureau:

In 2000, there were 469 piracy attacks on ships worldwide
in 2001 - 344
in 2002 - 370
in 2003 - 344
in 2004 - 329
in 2005 - 276
in 2006 - 239
in 2007 - 263

The statistics on Russian vessels is distorted, since 60% of the ships sail under the flags of other countries of the world, that is, they are simply rented out together with the Russian crew.

* This figure is not definitive as many shipowners are afraid to report pirate attacks to the police for fear of retaliation from criminals, corrupt officials and coastal police.

Recent tragedies at sea

On January 15, 2008, the cargo ship Kapitan Uskov under the flag of Cambodia left the Russian port of Nakhodka for Hong Kong, but did not arrive at the port of destination. The crew of the ship consisted of 17 Russians, including 22-year-old barmaid Ekaterina Zakharova, who went on her first voyage. There were 4.5 thousand tons of metal on board the ship. The International Center for Combating Piracy joined the search for the ship and the crew, which disseminated information with its description around the world. Even if the ship has been repainted, its name and flag changed, it can be recognized by its individual characteristics. Hopes for success are low.

On February 1, 2008, off the coast of Somalia, pirates seized the icebreaking tug Svitser Korsakov, which was sailing from St. Petersburg to Sakhalin under the flag of the state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The team consists of one Englishman, one Irishman, four citizens of Russia. For the ship and the crew, the thieves received a ransom - 700 thousand dollars. It was paid by the Switzer Weissmuller company, which owns the tugboat. Negotiations with pirates were conducted from February 1 to March 18, 2008.

How to fight

On November 16, 1994, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was adopted, according to which all states should cooperate to the maximum extent possible in the suppression of piracy on the high seas or in any other place outside the jurisdiction of any country.

In 1991, the International Chamber of Commerce established the Anti-Piracy Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In California (USA) there is a training center for training specialists in the fight against sea robbers. He trains anti-piracy units for the navies of Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, approved by President Putin on July 21, 2001, notes: "Intensifying cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to ensure the safety of navigation, the fight against piracy" is one of the activities of the state.

At the plenary meeting of the State Duma on October 1, 2008, the chamber approved a protocol instruction to the Security Committee to request information from the relevant ministries and departments "on measures taken to solve the problem of international piracy, ensure the security of international trade routes, including jointly with other members of the international community" .

On September 23, 2008, Russia sent the destroyer Neustrashimy from the Baltic Sea to the coastal waters of Somalia. The Statement of the Command of the Russian Navy says that this was done "in response to the increasing cases of piracy in the region, the victims of which are also citizens of Russia." "Fearless" is not yet taking active steps, as negotiations are underway with the pirates.

There have been victories...

In 2005, the Seaborn Spirit cruise ship was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. They appeared unexpectedly on speedboats, armed with machine guns and grenade launchers, and fired at the ship.

The witty captain used an unconventional means of combat - an acoustic cannon. She stunned the pirates. The ship managed to get to a safe distance.

In May 2006, a real naval battle took place off the coast of Somalia: pirates opened fire on warships of the US Navy. The guided missile cruiser Cape St. George and the guided missile destroyer Gonzalez responded with salvos of rocket launchers. As a result of the special operation, 12 pirates were detained, including 5 wounded. The arrogance of filibusters who entered into battle with modern warships is striking.

Not so long ago, Somali pirates seized another ship: the Kalamos tanker was boarded off the coast of Nigeria. The pirates killed the captain's mate and took the rest of the crew hostage. 42.TUT.BY found out why pirates continue to threaten ships even in the modern world. Why did pirates appear in Somalia?
The East African state of Somalia exists only on paper. It is believed that in fact the official government controls only the central quarters in a couple of cities, and the rest of the territory is under the control of various armed groups. In total, there are about 11 autonomous entities on the territory of the state.

The population of these autonomies does not burn with a special desire to work, and there is nowhere to work, but there are many weapons left from the time of the Ethiopian-Somali wars and other conflicts. In addition, the birth rate in Africa is high, but how to feed children without working, and where to go for young people?
The local population did not think long about where to get money - many defenseless ships passed by, for the capture of which a fragile boat and a pair of rusty AK-47s were enough. At first, the pirates simply charged a "fare", and then they realized that it was much more profitable to hijack a ship and demand a ransom for it.

What are modern pirates armed with?

Basically, pirates can find old AK-47, AKMS, RPK and M60 machine guns, M16 rifles are popular, as well as Beretta and CIS SAR-80. Also on some boats you can find a 12.7 mm Type 54 machine gun (a Chinese copy of the DShK).

RPG-7 grenade launchers are also very popular, one type of which reduces the will to resist among civilian sailors. However, the range of weapons is quite wide - from weapons from the time of the Anglo-Boer War to the most modern, purchased with money received for the ransom of ships and hostages.

How many sailors were victims of pirates?

According to data from open sources, from 2005 to 2012, more than 3,740 crew members from 125 countries became victims of Somali pirates, 97 of them died (in captivity and while repulsing the assault). The fact is that according to international laws, it is forbidden to store weapons on board a civilian ship, so you literally have to fend off heavily armed pirates with your bare hands.

Basically, the sailors are trying to fight off the Somali filibusters with the help of hoses or throwing various heavy objects at them, while the pirates pour lead rain from machine guns on the sailors and fire from RPGs. But when the ships hire private military guards, the fervor of the pirates noticeably cools down.

Who are the pirates afraid of?

The pirates have few enemies: they are mostly Russian, American and Indian warships, which not all pirates survive the encounter with.
Pirates somehow do not work out with Russian ships: for example, the sailors of the tanker "Moscow University" for 22 hours without weapons held out against pirates armed to the teeth. When the ship was nevertheless captured, after a while, special forces from the BOD "Marshal Shaposhnikov" arrived to help, who took the tanker by storm and freed the sailors.
The US military also does not stand on ceremony with pirates. So, after the attack on the American container ship Maersk Alabama, the pirates managed to capture only the captain - the sailors managed to fight back. For the captain, the pirates demanded 2 million dollars, but instead of ransom, the pirates were visited by fur seals. The result of the operation - the captain was rescued, three pirates were killed, one was captured.
Indian sailors do not stand on ceremony with pirates at all, shooting at any pirate-like boats with armed men.

The French authorities are another matter, they are also pay compensation for moral damage to pirates who attacked their ships. Thus, the European Court of Human Rights ordered to pay each of the pirates detained by the French military from two to five thousand euros for "moral damage", as well as to reimburse legal costs in the amount of three to nine thousand euros. Only 70 thousand euros.

The court ruling says that the French military, who detained the pirates for more than 48 hours, allowed "a violation of their (pirates') rights to freedom and security." And the fact that the prisoners were involved in the attack on nine French ships, the court did not take into account.

How much do pirates get?

Piracy in Somalia is a profitable business. According to Forbes magazine, the income of a working local resident is unlikely to exceed $500 a year. At the same time, after receiving a ransom for the ship, the share of each pirate is 30-75 thousand dollars, a bonus of several thousand dollars goes to the first pirate to board.
According to a number of sources, the lion's share of the profits (80-90%) goes to political cover: bribes to officials, politicians, religious leaders and representatives of local criminal groups so that they contribute to and not interfere with the criminal business.

The pirates even have their own exchange, located in the city of Haradhere - its creator was the former pirate Mohammed. There are several dozen pirate companies on the exchange. Anyone can participate in trading on the stock exchange, not only money, but also weapons, drugs, equipment and other useful things are accepted as investments.

A well-known example is a Somali woman who invested all her property - RPG grenades - in the shares of one of the "reliable" pirate companies. Soon the pirates captured the Spanish tuna, and after receiving a ransom for it, the woman was paid 75 thousand dollars 38 days after the investment.

Why do Somali pirates still exist?

It would seem that it is well known where pirates steal ships, where their bases are located, but the world community does not take practically any radical steps to put an end to piracy. Why?
There are quite a few versions, for example, there are rumors about a conspiracy of insurance companies - all shipping companies insure ships, and only a few are captured by pirates. In addition, with each new seizure, the amount of insurance risks only grows.

However, it is not easy to fight piracy either: the coast of Somalia is three thousand kilometers, which is quite problematic to patrol.

A large part of the population of this country feeds on piracy, representatives of the authorities and religious leaders are involved in the criminal scheme. Therefore, in order to solve the problem, it is necessary first of all to restore order in Somalia itself. And this is already a huge cost that no country wants to take on.

But still, the leading world powers periodically send warships to patrol turbulent waters, and this is bearing fruit - during the presence of military ships in the water area, the number of attacks decreases.
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Somali pirates

Somalia - one of the poorest countries in the Horn of Africa - is located on the Indian Ocean. Rather, it is not so much a state, but a territory of various warring tribes, forced to live side by side and not understanding why the Lord God settled them on the same land. This nightmarish chaos began in 1991, when the dictator Siad Bare was overthrown after thirty years of rule.

Dictator Siad Bare who ruled Somalia

It was since then that almost every village had its own "leader" of the people and, with his fellow tribesmen, tried to seize power. Some lull formed in 1993, but a few months later the division of the country began again. As always, ordinary people suffer from these endless wars, they are brought to extreme poverty and put on the brink of starvation.

Hungry children in Somalia suffer from various diseases

At present, there are no international peacekeeping and humanitarian representatives in Somalia, the world does not know with whom to talk there, with whom to negotiate on the security of missions. The population of Somalia is left to survive alone and is forced to save itself from starvation by all available means and means. It was in this situation that the inhabitants of the coastal zones found, one might say, the only way out - to engage in piracy.

Somali pirates

At the beginning Somali pirates did not pose any serious threat to navigation. They were hungry, poorly armed, young people on fragile boats who occasionally attacked small merchant ships and cruise yachts in the hope of robbing the crew of a couple of thousand dollars in order to feed their relatives and friends on the shore. This way of earning was the only way for them to avoid starvation. Pirates were few in number, not organized in any way, acted one by one.

Somali pirates

Not so long ago, there were no planned attacks on ships, few people heard about Somali pirates, shipping areas were much more dangerous in the world. The Somalis went out to sea “to hunt”, like fishing - not far from home and only when the money ran out. During this period, the world community could easily deal with them if they thought a little ahead, if the world community were able to quickly respond to the changing situation and take appropriate measures.

Somali pirates

It was enough to allow on merchant ships to have one or two soldiers with a machine gun - and the pirates would not even come close to them. So it was until the end of 2004 - no one was particularly afraid of pirates, everyone turned a blind eye to their single attacks and considered it an inevitable tribute to maritime transport, especially since there were no issues with the captives: those small sums that the hungry Somalis wanted to receive were instantly located, and everyone pretended that it should be so.

The first Somali pirates

The press was quietly silent, the world leaders were not indignant, only half-jokingly sometimes mentioned Somalia among themselves, and the vast majority of ordinary citizens had not even heard of such a country.

Pirates only from Somalia - business for the whole world

But after 2004 the situation changed. More organized gangs could not help coveting such a tidbit of money. They quickly found paid ideologists who, from the pages of the newspapers they bought, began to sum up the “ideological basis” for piracy - they say, rich capitalists have nothing to take African oil past their shores for free, they need to impose their own “people's” tax on everyone, let them pay, they don’t will decrease.

Modern Somali Pirates

With such correct slogans, they managed to recruit thousands of young people into their ranks, who until recently did not even plan to become pirates. On the other hand, well-known world lawyers were bought, who were instructed to negotiate with the owners of the captured ships for a certain percentage of the profits.

Somali pirates

Now already pirates they took hostage not ordinary merchant ships, but huge ocean-going oil tankers! These gangs were led by former military men who had sufficient knowledge of modern tracking technology, who knew how to use satellite navigators, who knew how to impose discipline among pirates.

One of the ships captured by Somali pirates

From now on Somali pirates began to look more like a well-organized criminal international business, the profits from which turned the heads of more than one mafioso. This business instantly received its "admirers", from many countries of the world there were those wishing to participate in it. According to unverified data, pirates now have their informants in all major shipping companies in the world. They know perfectly well when, what kind of cargo and what kind of vessel will be carried. And they do not have to wait long - every year up to 20 thousand ships pass near their shores!

Somali pirates have the most modern and fast ships, they have their own ports for holding captured ships, they have the most modern satellite equipment, they are served only by world-famous “lawyers-negotiators”. And here is the result - in 2008 alone, more than 100 ships were seized by pirates, and the total amount of the ransom received exceeded $158 million. It should be noted that this is only an official figure, many owners prefer to hide the amounts actually paid. Since that time, the world community began to really fight this phenomenon, warships from different countries began to be sent to the Persian Gulf to escort caravans of civilian ships, some ships were repelled from the attack, several pirates were captured and tried, several were killed during the assault .

But, as expected, all these actions turned out to be costly, but ineffective for one simple reason - they were too late, now the pirates cannot be defeated by such forceful methods.

Now the world must go in a completely different way - to eradicate the very reason that makes it possible for bandits to recruit replenishment for themselves. This means that it is necessary to eradicate the poverty of the population, to provide young people with the opportunity to earn their living in another way, to give them the opportunity to live in peace and tranquility, to teach them to earn money not automatically, but by simple labor.

But the world community is not yet ready to make such financial injections into this country, it again hopes to solve its problems cheaper. Let's see what will come of this, but something tells us that the proverb “greedy pays twice” will work again ...

Who are the Pirates of Somalia? How was this band born? We will answer these and other questions in the article. Somali pirates are modern armed groups, with the aim of ransom capturing ships off the coast of Somalia. They are armed, as a rule, with grenade launchers and automatic weapons. Small-tonnage vessels (motor boats, boats, fishing schooners) are used as vehicles.

Organization

Pirates of Somalia are often superbly organized, but not very well prepared. The territorial waters of Somalia have the status of the location of the naval bases of some countries and international organizations, as well as militarized (police, military, humanitarian) areas of responsibility of guarding, patrolling or checking parties. In order to ensure safety for shipping, the area of ​​operation of pirates is patrolled by the forces of the Russian Navy, NATO member countries, India and other states.

The composition of the groups

Pirates of Somalia are young people 20-35 years old from Putland (a self-proclaimed state in the northeast of Somalia). According to the Air Force agency, pirates are divided into the following categories of persons:

• experts working with equipment, mainly with GPS equipment;
• local fishermen who understand a lot about marine situations;
• former military who participated in the internal battles of Somalia as part of local alliances.

The West African Seafarers' Assistance Association has found that there are about five basic pirate gangs with 1,000 armed fighters.

The emergence of piracy

How and why did the pirates of Somalia appear? Since 1991, this country has actually ceased to exist in the form of a centralized state, having been divided into zones of action of local authorities. Since then, the financial system and the centralized economy have not functioned in it.

The country is full of weapons. Thanks to this nuance, it is not at all difficult to create superbly equipped raider teams. The local government (or rather, tribal leaders and warlords) either participates in the piracy or turns a blind eye to it. It is not interested in any opposition to the militants, since they do not have any influence on its interethnic status.

How did Somali pirates start hijacking ships? Near this country lie the routes of ships heading through from the countries of Asia and the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. In addition, there are frequent ships sailing to or from the ports of the Indian Riviera of Africa. It is known that the countries of Europe and Asia quite often conclude trade contracts with each other. As a result, an impressive flow of ships with valuable cargo turns into a mass of objects for probable capture.

Piracy in this area of ​​the planet since 2004 began to develop at an accelerated pace. The International Maritime Bureau reported that more than 100 attacks on transport vessels have been made in Somali waters since the beginning of 2008. During this period, the militants were able to capture 40 ships, 13 of them have not been released so far. To this day, there are about 268 people from various countries in captivity.

From November 10 to November 16, 2008, 11 attacks were carried out in this area (three ships were hijacked), and four episodes were recorded in which shooting was carried out. Pirates have always used quite powerful small arms and even grenade launchers, but so far not a single sailor has died from their hands. Perhaps this is due both to the disgusting preparation and the deliberate tactics of the militants, who understand that if blood is shed, they will face hard pursuit on the shore. That is why pirates are loyal to the hostage-sailors, and demand a ransom from companies and corporations, owners of cargo and ships.

Of course, the hunt for Somali pirates is open. The interethnic forces and special forces of the countries that sent their navies to the area of ​​​​the incident are increasingly opening fire to kill. In 2010, militants accused Russian special forces of executing 10 pirates without trial or investigation. This incident occurred after the release of the Russian tanker.

In 2011, on February 22, the situation changed: sea robbers took the lives of US hostages on a captured yacht, which was pursued by an American ship. The militants opened fire on the warship with RPGs, but missed. After that, 4 US citizens were killed on the yacht.

Interethnic reaction

When did the fight against Somali pirates start? In 2008, on October 7, he adopted Resolution No. 1838, which allowed states to use the Air Force and Navy in this confrontation.

In 2008, on December 8, the EU launched Operation Atlanta, and in January 2009, Operational Mixed Group No. 151 was created.

Of paramount importance is Resolution No. 1816, adopted by the UN Security Council in 2008. It is it that sets the foundations for the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Operatives were able to detain only 500 militants, two-thirds of whom were later released. In 2010, in April, at the initiative of Russia, a UN Security Council resolution was adopted on the effective prosecution of piracy.

First naval battles

It is known that the Fearless medal for the fight against pirates of Somalia was awarded to many operatives. In 2003, maritime bandits attacked the Russian tanker Moneron en route to Kenya from Saudi Arabia. Seven pirates on two motorboats pursued the ship for about an hour, firing from grenade launchers and machine guns.

On November 5, 2005, 160 km from the coast of Somalia, militants attacked the Seaborn Spirit cruise liner, which was en route from Alexandria to the Seychelles. It is known that in 2005 the pirates organized about 23 raids.

The battle with the corsairs, in which two US Navy ships (a destroyer and a missile cruiser) also took part, took place in 2006. This battle is considered the first naval battle of the XXI century. It should be added that the UN World Food Program chartered the Rosen dry cargo ship, and in 2007 it was seized by pirates. In the same year, they detained a Japanese tanker.

Losses in 2011

Somali pirates caused $6.6-6.9 billion in damage in 2011. You can read about this in the Oceans Beyond Piracy report (a project of the American One Earth Future Foundation).

year 2012

Pirates of Somalia love to be photographed with trophies. In the Arabian Sea in 2012, on May 10, they boarded the Greek tanker Smyrni, sailing under the flag of Liberia. It transported 135 thousand tons of crude oil.

For the first time in 2012, on May 15, Europeans fired at pirates on the lands of Somalia. They launched a missile strike from the air: aircraft deployed on ships of the European Navy, patrolling, took part in the operation. No Europeans were hurt either. To which country the aircraft belonged was not reported.

Thanks to the actions of the interethnic coalition from May 2012 to May 2013, maritime robbers failed to catch a single ship. The operation of the special detachment of the Putland Marine Police also played an important role in the elimination of piracy. The ground bases of militants were destroyed by the forces of this organization. After its creation, the corsairs had to leave for the Galmudug coast.

Economic consequences

The damage from the activities of Somali pirates is increasing every year. The size of the ransoms has increased significantly, they are interconnected with the size of the vessels caught. If earlier the amount did not exceed 400-500 thousand dollars, today it is already about 5 million.

Cruise program

In 2009, Somalia tours appeared. Pirates so pissed people off that some began to advertise cruises along the coast of this country on the Internet. The tourist travel program for 2009 cost only $1,500. The organizers offered impunity to hunt pirates from their favorite weapons.

They wrote that their ship would sail along the Somali coast, waiting for an attack by corsairs. Tourists were encouraged to take weapons with them or rent them from the cruise organizers.

The ship was supposed to leave Mombasa (Nigeria) and go along the coast of Somalia to Djibouti, where the journey ended. It was reported that on the ship, each traveler could receive one hundred tracer rounds for free. Enterprising guides promised tourists that the pirates would attack at least twice. And if this does not happen, they claimed that they would return half the cost of the cruise.