Or is it that the media just doesn’t report it any more?
Obviously I would like to believe my headline, that piracy has been curtailed; because that would really bring a positive result to what was a rife and barbaric situation a decade ago and less.
I can remember when the situation was really bad, many countries worked together and cooperated to create a fleet of naval vessels whose main mission was to protect merchant ships from pirates. A lot of publicity was given to the problem. It has to be extremely difficult, in fact almost impossible to beat an opponent when the individuals that make up it’s fighting force are so depressed with their lives that they feel they have nothing to lose and so they are prepared to do anything to try and make it better.
Some of the things we read about pirates, and the way they have been portrayed in past Hollywood movies on the subject, have often implied that many of them do it as an occupation for financial gain. Where that is the case, then I suspect they may be more fearful of dying and are easier to eliminate.
Whatever the reason, the reduced threat from pirates, who are prepared to kill, has to be a major accomplishment for everyone. It is difficult enough to persuade people to go for a career in the Merchant Navies of the world as it is, without the added threat of possibly being attacked by murderous pirates.
The Governments, organisations and individuals who have been involved in the curtailment of piracy must be congratulated and it just goes to prove that they can all work to meet a common goal when they have to.
If any readers have any experience of incidents of piracy or think my assessment of the current situation is wrong please get back to me on info@solasolv.com with the subject FAO JOHN.
