Modern-day Piracy Threatens Cruises

The Carnival-owned cruise liner Seabourn Spirit recently fended off a pirate attack along Africa's eastern coast, with one person sustaining injuries. The attempt to hijack a cruise ship highlights the pirates' growing audacity — wielding rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns, says a recent ABC News report. Since March, 29 attacks have occurred off the coast of Somalia. Although this was the first attack on a cruise ship in more than a decade, pirates attacked 205 ships in the first nine months of 2005 compared with 251 in the same period a year ago, according to the report. Indonesian waters pose the greatest danger with 61 incidents in the first nine months of 2005 and a total of 93 attacks reported in 2004. Maritime security firms recommend that all ships have armed security personnel or an armed escort boat. Cruising is still considered a safe form of travel; though some areas (Hawaii, Alaska, and the Caribbean) are safer than others. Source: ABC News