Legal flaws hinder piracy fight, warn lawyers

2 December 2008

By Michael Peel and Robert Wright in London

Flaws in anti-piracy laws and their enforcement are hampering the fight against ship hijacks that have claimed 40 vessels off the Somali coast this year, maritime lawyers and officials have warned. Governments and international bodies such as the UN are urgently reviewing how to combat piracy after last monthäs seizure of the Sirius Star oil tanker highlighted the sharp rise in hijacks in the Gulf of Aden, the gateway to the key Suez Canal.