Piracy Report PIRACY REPORT SEPTEMBER Piracy and Acts of Armed Robbery of Ships

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1 Piracy Report Independent Global Incident Analysis PIRACY REPORT SEPTEMBER Piracy and Acts of Armed Robbery of Ships For Monthly Reports Please contact Lydelle Joubert Copyright L. Joubert 1

2 Analysis The heat map indicates six areas with a high concentration of piracy and robbery of vessels. These areas are the coast of Bayelsa, Nigeria; the Strait of Malacca; Kandla Port and Anchorages in India; the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh; Pointe Noire Anchorages, Congo; and the Sulu Sea between Southern Sabah and the Philippines Incidents Incidents in the Strait of Malacca; Kandla Port and Anchorages in India and Pointe Noire Anchorages, Congo can mostly be classified as petty theft. Two kidnapping for ransom incidents from fishing trawlers were reported in the Sulu Sea off Eastern Sabah, Malaysia in September. Four hostages were taken during the two incidents. Three hostages have since been released. 39 crew members were abducted from tug boats and fishing vessels off the Philippines and Malaysia by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) or associated groups in. Incidents Kjartan Sekkingstad the Norwegian hostage kidnapped from the Samal Yacht Marina on 21 September 2015, was released by ASG on 17 September after a ransom was paid. Five incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea of which three were in anchorages. Four marine police members were killed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in September. Their gunboat was attacked by gunmen while on patrol. The gunboat remains missing. Kidnapping of fishermen by gangs still continues in the Sundarbans and Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Eleven fishermen where kidnapped from their trawler on 9 September in the Sandarbans, Bangladesh. September Incidents The Bangladeshi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had several successes against these kidnap gangs in September. Twenty firearms and ammunitions were also confiscated. Two people attempting to board a Bulk Carrier on four different occasions in the Port of Casablanca, Morocco in September and are most likely potential stowaways, although attempted robbery could not be excluded. Copyright L. Joubert 2

3 Incidents of Piracy and Robbery of Vessels: 2014 to SE Asia JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC West Africa JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Indian Sub-Continent Linear (2014) Linear (2015) Linear () 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Copyright L. Joubert 3

4 25 Incidents by Region September 2015 to September SEP 2015 OCT 2015 NOV 2015 DEC 2015 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP EAST AFRICA AND ARADIAN GULF WEST AFRICA INDIAN SUB CONT SE ASIA SOUTH AMERICA Copyright L. Joubert 4

5 Incidents : Type of Ship Attacked Type Vessel Barge Bulk Carrier Cargo ship Coast Guard/ Patrol Boat Container Dhow Ferry Fishing Boat Fishing Trawler Offshore Supply Vessel Passenger Boat Roll-on-Roll-off Cargo Ship Tanker Tug Yacht Code 25 B BC CS PB 20 C D F FB 15 FV OSV PMB 10 Ro-Ro MT TB SY 5 0 B BC CS PB C D F FB FV OSV PMB Ro- Ro MT TB SY Other Americas Indian Sub Continent SE Asia West Africa East Africa/Arabian Gulf Copyright L. Joubert 5

6 Southeast Asia 27/09/. Fishing Trawler. Owner kidnapped. 10/09/. Puteri. Fishing Trawler. Three fishermen kidnapped. 27/09/. Fishing Trawler. Robbed. Eleven incidents of piracy and robbery of vessels were reported in Southeast Asia in September. Except for the three incidents off Sabah, Malaysia all other incidents were at anchorages and jetties. Engine spares are the common target in these robberies. In several cases crew are threatened and tied up. Three robberies were reported at Dumai, Indonesia. Four crew were kidnapped during two separate incidents off Sabah, Malaysia. Copyright L. Joubert 6

7 10 September Seven men, armed with M-16s and a pistol, attacked the fishing vessel, Puteri while it was anchored near the tourist resort island of Pom Pom in Semporna at 22:40LT. They kidnapped three crew members. They were identified as skipper Masurin, Loloi bin Alpin and Sami. They robbed crew of cell phones and valuables and assaulted one crew member. The hostages were released on 18 September on Jolo Island, Sulu, the Philippines. The release was negotiated by the Moro National Liberation Front September At 21:30LT six men armed with M-14 s and M-16 s approached a trawler off Pulau Gaya, Semporna, in a speedboat. The trawler had 27 crew onboard. They kidnapped the owner, Ruslan Sarapin and stole documents, cell phones and personal belongings September Half an hour later another trawler was attacked 5nm from the first attack in Tungku waters of Lahad Datu. They robbed the crew of outboard engines, rice, cooking oil, clothing, mobile phones and RM300 in cash. Both trawlers were fishing within the curfew area off Sabah at the time and didn t have exemption permits from their respective police chiefs. Feedback : ASG Hijackings of Vessels and Kidnapping Incidents in the Philippines Samal Kidnappings The Norwegian hostage from the Samal kidnappings, Kjartan Sekkingstad, were released by Abu Sayyaf on 17 September after a ransom was paid. 4 According to a spokesperson for ASG, US$ ransom was paid. Four people were kidnapped from the Samal Yacht Marina on 21 September The two Canadian hostages were beheaded by ASG and the Filipino hostage has since been released.. A consignment of firearms intended for ASG was confiscated from four suspects by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Barangay West, San Juan City on 24 September. Grenade launchers, M14 and M16 rifles, as well as ammunition were seized. 5 Maritime Kidnappings: The Semporna - Lahad Datu Connection Three attacks were reported on fishing trawlers off Semporna and Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia in September. During two of these attacks on LD110/5/F and Puteri (SA2627/5/F) crew were kidnapped. A third trawler, SA848/5/F was robbed. The owner of the fishing trawler SA848/5/F, Chan Sai Chuin was kidnapped on 16 June 2014 from his fish farm on Borneo, Malaysia. He was taken to Jolo and released on payment of ransom on 9 December Two of the trawlers attacked in September is registered under the Sabah small ships register under Semporna (SA prefix) and the other under Lahad Datu (LD prefix) 7 Semporna is the base for around 70 wooden hulled trawlers with crew ranging from ten to They regularly face pirate attacks, mostly from pirates operating cross border from Sulu in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf or groups associated with the group are responsible for these kidnappings. The Muktadil brothers were involved with several of the ASG kidnappings. According to yet to be confirmed Philippine intelligence sources, the last of the three brothers were killed during a military raid on Sulu end of September. 9 The Sultanate of Sulu in the Philippines has a history of piracy and attacks on settlements and towns in Sabah even predating the Colonial period. Between 1915 and 1941 the Spanish, Dutch and British navies disrupted large scale raiding of the Sulu pirates, but were never able to suppress small scale coastal raiding. 10 People kidnapped from Borneo frequently landed in the great slave market on Sulu. Between 1959 and 1962, 232 pirate attacks were recorded in North Borneo. 11 Copyright L. Joubert 7

8 According to the Malaysian Marine Police, nine attacks on fishing boats were reported in 2001, nine in 2002 and 12 in Outboard engines, valuables, equipment and communication equipment were stolen. Fishing vessels were also hijacked for ransom. Tugs and fishing vessels are the predominant target in this area. Sporadically hijackings of tug boats were reported since The tugs were release on payment of ransom. There was a change in this trend in as crews were kidnapped for ransom. Prior land based kidnappings from resorts and towns for ransom were the norm. During these kidnappings crew are also robbed from valuables as before. Targeted vessels often ignored the curfew times set by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM). Speedboats with five to eight men, often in camouflage fatigues and armed with M14s and M16s, attack fishing vessels and tugs. Attackers of the Brahma 12 were allegedly in Philippine police uniforms. Boat documents, curfew order permits and passports are often stolen. In some cases attackers spoke Malay in the Suluk dialect. The Suluks still regard the eastern part of Sabah as part of the Sulu Sultanate in the Philippines. 13 A dramatic increase of illegal immigrants to Sabah was reported in the last few decades due to corruption in the illegal issuance of identity cards. In February 2013 the Royal Sulu Force (RSF), a 200 strong group from the Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippines, invaded a small Village in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia. The group was led by Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram the brother of the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III. In the standoff with security forces 68 people were killed including ten Malaysian security personnel. Copyright L. Joubert 8

9 Semporna (Source Google Earth) This led to the establishment of ESSCOM, based in Lahad Datu, and the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE). ESSCOM curfew hours are from 7pm to 5 am in a 3nm offshore zone. 14 The State Security Committee placed a temporary suspension on barter trade in all barter ports as well as transhipment in the ESSZONE area to curtail unauthorized entry into Malaysian territorial waters as well as the use of pump boats by foreigners. Several factors contribute to security instability in this area such as the proximity to the Philippine border; terrorist and organized crime groups involved in kidnap for ransom (KFR) of locals and tourists from resorts and violent mass robberies in towns; water villages; barter trading ports; and the free movement of illegal immigrants and sea gypsies. 15 Sabah with their long coastal border and numerous offshore islands is a favourite transit point for terrorists and weapon smugglers using vessels to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The centuries old custom of barter trading facilitates a legal way to enter Sabah. Malaysia sees barter trading as an opportunity to earn foreign exchange while the Philippines view it as smuggling. Cigarettes, liquor, rice, timber, and drugs are smuggled into Sabah. Many illegal immigrants live in the ESSZONE areas and some are likely involved with KFR groups and smuggling. So are members of the security forces. Precise knowledge of victims of kidnappings of resorts and fish farms make the possibility of insider knowledge likely. In January three junior police members were detained for their alleged participation in a kidnapping in Lahad Datu. 16 There were also concerns in September that information on ESSCOM operations was leaking to kidnappers. In addition ASG also conduct surveillance before some kidnappings. 17 Seven of the 11 ASG associated kidnap incidents against crews of fishing vessels and tugs in were located in the area between Semporna and Lahad Datu, Southern Sabah and the Philippines. As local fishing vessels and tugs are targeted, it is not possible to re-route traffic in this case. Malaysia and the Philippines will have to coordinate efforts to bring the situation under control. Joint and coordinated patrols, surveillance and shared intelligence operations will be needed to stop further escalation. Copyright L. Joubert 9

10 West Africa 21/09/. Windhoek. Container Vessel. Fired on Vessel. Crew taken hostage and robbed. 17/09/. Hanze Kochi. Chemical Tanker. Vessel Attacked. 5/09/. Gunboat attacked. Hijacked and four officers killed. Five incidents of piracy and armed robbery of vessels were reported in September off the coast of Guinea. Three incidents were reported while vessels were at anchor of which two were at Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana. 5 September A marine police gunboat on patrol was attacked by gunmen after leaving Abonnema Wharf, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The bodies of the four officers were found but the gunboat remains missing September The Chemical Tanker, Hanze Kochi was attacked in the early morning by armed men approaching in a speedboat off Brass, Nigeria. The alarm was sounded, a distress call was sent to the Nigerian Navy and the crew retreated to the citadel. The pirates stole crew s possessions and fled on approach of the Navy September The Container Vessel, Windhoek was approached by armed men at Conakry Anchorage, Guinea at 0252LT. They boarded and fired on the crew. The crew activated the SSAS, raised the alarm and locked the accommodation. The gunmen gained access by breaking the bridge wing window. They took the crew hostage and stole crew s belongings and ship s cash. 20 Copyright L. Joubert 10

11 Indian Sub-Continent 9/09/. Fishing trawlers. 11 fishermen kidnapped. 9/09/. Bandhu Sardar. Cargo Vessel. 5 crew injured during robbery Three incidents were reported in Bangladesh in September. Ship s stores were stolen from a Bulk Carrier carrying out cargo operations at Chittagong Bravo Anchorage and a cargo vessel was robbed on the River Tetulia. Eleven fishermen were also abducted in the Sundarbans. 7 September The Bangladeshi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) launched a operation to flush out gang members from their hideouts in the Suppara and Punerkhal areas of the Sundarbans. The gang members kidnap fishermen, wood cutters and honey collectors in the Sundarbans, Fourteen members of the kidnap gangs, Santo Bahini and Alam Bahini surrendered on the following day at Barisal city. Twenty firearms and 1008 rounds of ammunitions were also confiscated September Ten to twelve robbers kidnapped 11 fishermen for ransom from trawlers in Dhanshiddhir Char, Mongla Upazila in the Sunderbans. Valuables were also stolen. TK one lakh (US$ 1300) were demanded for the release of each hostage September The Cargo Vessel, Bandhu Sardar on route to Meghnaghat from Payra port with a cargo of clinker, was attacked by a group of eight to nine robbers on the River Tetulia. They approached the vessel in a boat. Five crew members were injured during the attack. Robbers stole cash and cell phones September The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Shahjahan Molla, a gang member in connection with possession of three firearms and ammunition. The RAB returned fire after the gang opened fire on them. The gang escaped. The RAB also released six fishermen held hostage by the gang. 24 Copyright L. Joubert 11

12 Americas Two robberies at anchorages were reported in Haiti and Venezuela in September. During one of these robberies at Port Au Prince Anchorage in Haiti crew were threatened with long knives and stones. Copyright L. Joubert 12

13 East Africa On 6 September at 03:50LT the crew of a Crude Oil Tanker noticed robbers stealing ship s property at Jetty no 10, Beira, Mozambique. They robbers fled when the alarm was sounded. 25 Copyright L. Joubert 13

14 The Coral Sea Eight robbers boarded a passenger boat on 10 September at Madang, Papua New Guinea. Some passengers jumped overboard and swam to Pigs Island where they alerted police. Three suspects were arrested. 26 The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary does not have the resources to combat robbery of vessels in their waters. Boats are not operational due to lack of maintenance. 27 Copyright 2015 L. Joubert 14

15 North Africa On 23 September two people attempted to board a Bulk Carrier on four different occasions in the Port of Casablanca, Morocco. 28 The motive for the attempted boarding is unclear, but while it could be robbery the likely option is that they attempted to stowaway. Copyright L. Joubert 15

16 End Notes 1. viewed 14/09/ 2. viewed 28/09/; html html viewed 19/09/ 5. viewed 27/09/ viewed 7/10/ 7. Ports and Harbours Sabah Licenced Small Ships Regulations Liss C, Contemporary Maritime Piracy in the Waters off Semporna, Sabah Pirates, Ports, and Coasts in Asia: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, Kleinen, J & Osseweijer (ed). ISEAS, Amirell, SE, Suppressing Piracy in Asia: Decolonization and International Relations in a Maritime Border Region (the Sulu Sea) Pirates, Ports, and Coasts in Asia: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, Kleinen, J & Osseweijer (ed). ISEAS, Eklof, S, Pirates in Paradise: A Modern History of Southeast Asia's Maritime Marauders, NIAS, Copenhagen, Liss, Op Cit. 13. Jawhar, J & Sariburaja, K, The Lahad Datu Incursion & Its Impacts on Malaysia s Security, SEARCCT, Jawhar, J & Sariburaja, K, Op Cit viewed 29/09/; viewed 19/06/ viewed 21/09/; viewed 22/09/ viewed 29/09/ viewed 14/09/ viewed 19/09/ viewed 29/09/ viewed 8/09/ viewed 19/09/ viewed 27/09/ Copyright L. Joubert 16