November 20, 2008	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 21, 1429

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19: Somali pirate attacks have spun “out of control”, becoming more violent, frequent and extending further from the attackers' bases, a maritime watchdog said on Wednesday.

“What we have seen in these last few weeks is an abnormal increase in violence and ships being hijacked despite the increased security in the area,” said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre.

“The situation is already out of control,” he said. “The United Nations and the international community must find ways to stop this menace.” “With no strong deterrent, low risk to the pirates and high returns, the attacks will continue,” he added.

Choong said that in the latest incident, a Thai-operated fishing boat registered in Kiribati was seized off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday while en route to the Middle East.

“Two speed boats with five to six Somali pirates each came alongside the fishing boat and thereafter hijacked her,” he added.

Choong said communications were cut while the ship was reporting the incident. The condition of the 16 crew on board the vessel is unknown.

“This is a new area of attack. It is a very worrying sign for them to go as far as 500 nautical miles, we are very concerned by the capability of these pirates now that they are going further away,” Choong added.

Since January the IMB said 94 ships have been attacked in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia. Of those, 38 were hijacked while 17 ships with more than 250 crew are still being held by pirates.—AFP