Pirates

Cruise Ship Attacked by Pirates
About 100 ships have been attacked while sailing in waters off Somalia this year. The pirates have hijacked 40 of these vessels, and more than 250 crew members and 14 ships are still being held by the hijackers. Just weeks ago, a Saudi oil tanker carrying $100 million worth of crude oil was hijacked by Somali pirates, and over the weekend, an American cruise liner was also attacked. The vessel was carrying 656 passengers and 399 crew members when six pirates in two speedboats opened fire on it. The cruise ship was faster than the pirates’ vessels, however, and was able to escape its pursuers without sustaining any damage. No one on board was injured in the attack.