Piracy

THere has been a lot of attention on piracy recently as they have become so audacious off the coast of Yemen and Somalia in the Gulf of Aden. The International Maritme Bureau (IMB) has put together a google map of pirate incidents within the last few years.

Gulf of Aden - Maritime Security Patrol Area
Jimmy Cornell has posted waypoints for a new Security Corridor in the Gulf of Aden for yachts to stay safely within. (Well, we certainly hope so!).
"A Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) has been established to provide a route through the Gulf of Aden which will be patrolled by Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. Whilst it cannot guarantee that attacks will not happen, it is hoped that 150 assets will be able to respond faster to any attacks and the patrols will act as a deterrent."
Coordinates of the Security Corridor in the Gulf of Aden are as follows:
Waypoint: 12 15N 045E;
Waypoint: 12 35N 045E;
Waypoint: 13 35N 049E;
Waypoint: 13 40N 049E;
Waypoint: 14 10N 050E;
Waypoint: 14 15N 050E;
Waypoint: 14 35N 053E;
Waypoint: 14 45N 053E.
The way the patrols are set up on the corridor is that each ship is given a sector that they are responsible for. So along the entire route there are warships patrolling. If yachts stay in the corridor or to the north, depending how they have to sail with the wind, they stand the best chance of being nearby a warship or the Yemeni Coastguard (who have been quite effective as well). As far as a routine convoy, unfortunately that is not being done yet. There has been some call for that and hopefully that will come to reality. From: Noonsite.com.

Cruising World Articles on crossing the Gulf of Aden.
http://www.cruisingworld.com/destinations/middle-eastsouth-asia/attacked-by-pirates-1000071230-p1.html
http://www.cruisingworld.com/destinations/caribbeancentral-america/precautions-in-paradise-1000057358.html
http://www.cruisingworld.com/destinations/caribbeancentral-america/pirate-attack-claims-life-of-beloved-cruiser-1000067340.html
http://forums.cruisingworld.com/videos/viewEntry.php?user=MindTheGap&node=178
http://forums.cruisingworld.com/showthread.php?t=646&page=2


Saftey Sail Net: Community of cruisers who keep up on hot spots
http://www.caribbeancompass.com/