Sea piracy and robbery fell to 12-year low in 2018
SINGAPORE — Incidents of maritime piracy and robbery in Asian waters fell to a 12-year low last year, though there are still some areas of concern, a regional anti-piracy body said on Tuesday (Jan 15).

The Police Coast Guard’s Patrol Interdiction Boats on display at East Coast Park.
SINGAPORE — Incidents of maritime piracy and robbery in Asian waters fell to a 12-year low last year, though there are still some areas of concern, a regional anti-piracy body said on Tuesday (Jan 15).
There were 76 cases of piracy and armed robbery incidents on the seas around the region last year, down from 101 in 2017 and the lowest number since the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) began tracking such figures in 2007.
Among the incidents reported last year, seven occurred along the Singapore Strait and one along the Straits of Malacca.
This was not much of a change from 2017, when there were eight incidents along the Singapore Strait and one along the Straits of Malacca.

Abduction cases fell across the region, but ReCAAP said it is still a serious threat.
Two crew members were abducted from fishing trawler Sri Dewi 1 in the Sulu-Celebes Seas off eastern Sabah last September, with one member still in captivity, while the other was rescued by Philippines authorities last month.
Another three crew members were abducted from a fishing boat just last month, and Philippines authorities are still working to locate them.