When Was the Last Cruise Ship Attacked by Pirates?

By Anna Duncan

Piracy has been a part of human history since ancient times. From early seafarers in the Mediterranean to the infamous Barbary pirates of the 17th century, pirates have long been a threat to ships and their crews.

Despite the rise of naval technology, piracy remains a problem in some areas of the world today. In recent years, cruise ships have become an increasingly popular Target for pirates, with several attacks taking place in recent years.

The most notable attack on a cruise ship was in 2005 when an attempted hijacking took place aboard the Seabourn Spirit off the coast of Somalia. The attempted hijacking was foiled by a private security team aboard the ship, but not before two people were injured and one crew member killed during the altercation. Following this incident, cruise ships began to take additional security measures such as increasing crew training and hiring armed private security teams.

More recently, there have been several incidents involving pirate attacks on smaller vessels in areas such as Indonesia and South East Asia. In February 2018, a cargo vessel was attacked off the coast of Indonesia by five armed men wearing masks and carrying machetes. The crew managed to fend off their attackers but not before one crew member was injured.

Despite these occasional incidents, cruise ships remain relatively safe from pirate attack due to increased security measures and better monitoring systems. For example, many cruise ships now employ satellite tracking systems that allow them to be monitored at all times while at sea. This means that any suspicious activity can be reported quickly and appropriate action taken.

Conclusion:

When it comes to modern day piracy, cruise ships are relatively well-protected due to increased security measures and better monitoring systems in place. The last notable attack on a cruise ship took place in 2005 when an attempted hijacking occurred aboard the Seabourn Spirit off Somalia’s coast. Since then, there have been numerous smaller attacks on vessels in other parts of the world but no major incidents involving cruise ships have occurred since then.