Now the hot season for Somali pirates

Pirate attacks on vessels off the east coast of Africa and in the Gulf hit their hot season from now until early December, according to the US Maritime Administration. It added that there is likely to be an increase in attacks as the weather conditions once again favour small boat activity. Despite the increased presence of naval forces in the region, attacks have continued in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean – with attacks on ships more than 1 000 nautical miles off the Somali coast, and also recorded off the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts, in the southern Red Sea, in the Seychelles, and near the Maldives.