Modern Piracy: Pirates Prowl Today's International Waters

Gone are the days of high sea's adventure, when bushy bearded pirates with eye patches and peg-legs stalked the oceans. Or are they?

Though modern day technology has made it virtually impossible for pirates to capture and utilize heavily armed warships, the pirate trade is still alive and kicking. Small, high-speed boats and automatic weapons are the tools of the trade these days, making for attacks so fast that crews rarely have time to take up arms, if any are even kept on board.

Generally speaking, modern pirates tend to pray on bigger, slower cargo ships. Pirates are less interested in the cargo itself, because the small boats they use only have a limited amounts of space. Instead, they'll rob the crew and the ship's safe of it's payroll.

Having an armed crew is forbidden by international shipping laws, and there is some debate as to whether or not it would even be helpful. Most useful weapons would be stowed away, and pirate attacks often happen too quickly to give the crew time to respond. In many cases, the number of pirates will equal or outnumber the limited crew needed to navigate modern vessels. Most people would rather lose their personal belongings then risk their life in a fire-fight.

Sir Peter Blake, the two time American Cup (sailing) winner was attacked by pirates while anchored at the mouth of the Amazon Delta. He died with a rifle in his hand, trying to defend his crew, but probably would have survived along with the rest of them had he simply surrendered.

Somalia boasts some of the most dangerous waters in the world. Though not number one in pirate related attacks, the lack of a centralized government makes it a very dangerous place to visit. The International Maritime Bureau has warned that unscheduled vessels visiting Somalia will most likely be boarded, and the vessel seized.

Anytime a pirate is backed by a government, they receive the title of privateer. The title privateer simply means that any acts of piracy are legally sanctioned by a government. For instance, when the Chinese Navy captures a smuggling vessel, the crew of the the Chinese ship gets a percentage of the value of confiscated loot. This has led to an increase of Chinese naval ships pursuing suspected smugglers out of China's borders and into international waters. While technically illegal, since the captured ship is also involved in illegal activities, nothing is done to stop it.

While pirates are awful, bloodthirsty individuals who would probably shoot their own mother for a couple of bucks, it's somehow nice to know that they're still around. The modern world has a tendency to stamp out notions of adventure, danger and peril. Feel for those hurt by piracy, but take heart in knowing there's still a little excitement in the world.