Accused Somali pirates wait to be transferred to police custody at the Indian naval dockyard in Mumbai on 23 March, 2024. India brought 35 accused Somali pirates to Mumbai, days after they were apprehended when naval commandos recaptured a hijacked bulk carrier and rescued several hostages. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP)
After many quiet years, piracy off the coast of Somalia has seen a marked increase in the first quarter of 2024, putting the safety of seafarers and the security of crucial trade routes at risk.
The International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau has reported a total of 33 incidents of piracy and armed robbery occurred against ships across the world's oceans from January to March this year.
In the same period last year, 27 incidents in total were reported.
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