Possible Pirate Action Group Spotted off East Africa

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Mfame Editor
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9

  • Rising Pirate Activity Across Western Indian Ocean.
  • Concerns Over Reduced Vigilance After HRA Removal.
  • Merchant Vessel Reports Suspicious Dhow Towing Skiff.

Pirate activity has surged dramatically in the Western Indian Ocean since late October, with a new potential Pirate Action Group (PAG) incident reported about 565 nautical miles east of Dar es Salaam. A northbound merchant vessel spotted a suspected PAG dhow towing a skiff but noted no aggressive actions and safely continued on to its next destination. Ships traveling through the broader region are urged to stay alert and vigilant, reports Safety4Sea.

Reduced Vigilance Risks After HRA Removal

In its 2022 White Paper titled The Known Unknowns, Declassification of the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA), Diaplous cautioned that easing the risk designation could result in a drop in vigilance. The operational landscape for 2024–2025, which includes several deep-sea approaches and one confirmed merchant boarding, seems to support these worries and highlights the importance of implementing layered security measures.

Primary Shipboard Safety Measures

  1. Maintain enhanced watchkeeping as per BMP MS 2025.
  2. Retain maneuvering room to keep CPA ≥ 2.0 nm from unidentified or fast craft when possible.
  3. Rig physical barriers and fire hoses.
  4. Be prepared to increase speed if approached.

Reporting Requirements and Channels

  1. Report immediately to UKMTO and MSCIO with bearings, ranges, CPA history, photos/video, and radar/AIS plots.
  2. Continue providing rolling updates until clear.
  3. Preserve bridge log and CCTV recordings.

Additional Security Measures and Drills

  1. Deploy double visual and radar lookouts.
  2. Conduct security musters and verify citadel readiness.
  3. Restrict non-essential deck activity.
  4. Brief crew on small-craft encounter procedures aligned with BMP MS 2025.

Communications and Coordination Guidance

  1. Monitor distress and safety channels and VHF continuously.
  2. Ensure satcom redundancy.
  3. Deconflict with nearby traffic.
  4. Coordinate with any tasked naval units.

General Guidance

  1. Treat dhows towing or launching skiffs as high-risk indicators of PAG operations.
  2. Avoid close approaches and adjust routing/timing to minimize daylight exposure on high-risk legs.
  3. Log all observations for correlation and follow-up.

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Source: Safety4Sea