Tide turned on Somali pirates

In a report the Committee says that Operation Atalanta has made clear progress in reducing the number of ships pirated, with only eight vessels and 215 hostages held in June 2012 compared to 23 vessels and 501 hostages in the same month in 2011.

However the report also makes clear that it is vital this effort is extended beyond 2014 to show the EU will not walk away from confronting piracy in the Indian Ocean. “Otherwise organisations and individuals that organise piracy will simply wait out the operation before returning to their previous activities,” the report states.

Support for the increase in trials and imprisonment of pirates has also been given by the Committee, although it voices concerns on the policy of transferring sentenced pirates back to Somalia for imprisonment, suggesting that there is a risk of breakouts.