Has Anyone Hijacked a Cruise Ship?

By Alice Nichols

Though hijacking of a cruise ship is almost unheard of, there have been reports of such events in the past. In 2011, a cruise ship was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.

The captain and crew were taken hostage by armed pirates who demanded a ransom for their release. The hijacking lasted five days before the crew was released unharmed and the pirates were apprehended by authorities.

In 2012, two Somali pirates were convicted in Italy for the hijacking of an Italian cruise liner near Yemen. The two men boarded the vessel with guns and forced the captain to sail towards Somalia. The Italian Navy eventually intercepted and arrested them after they had been at sea for several days.

In 2014, a group of Somali pirates seized control of an Egyptian freighter off the coast of Somalia. They took hostage 16 crew members and demanded a ransom for their release. After several weeks, authorities negotiated with the pirates to free the crew safely.

Most recently in 2019, a group of armed men attempted to seize control of a luxury Caribbean yacht near Cancun, Mexico. They were unsuccessful however, when security personnel onboard managed to outmaneuver them and keep them from boarding.

Conclusion:

Though it is thankfully very rare, hijacking of cruise ships has occurred in recent years. Authorities are constantly on alert to prevent any further incidents from happening as they take these matters very seriously.