Pirates on the move

By THE DATA TEAM

JUST a few years ago the most dangerous waters in the world for piracy were off the coast of Somalia. But piracy there has fallen dramatically. It is more than two years since Somali pirates last successfully boarded a ship. At their peak in 2011, attacks were taking place almost daily. The number of attempts has fallen to a handful every month. Now it is the Gulf of Guinea that is the worst piracy hotspot in Africa, accounting for 19% of attacks worldwide, as recorded by the International Maritime Bureau. It registers an attack nearly every week. The numbers are probably underestimates. America’s Office of Naval Intelligence reckons the real figure is more than twice as large—and growing. Read more here