Unsettling Facts About Modern Pirates

_Elsa_

‘Modern-day pirates no longer fly jolly rogers or force their victims to walk the plank, but they are no less dangerous. Modern pirates are a real threat to sea vessels operating all over the world and can even result in the death of victims at sea. And although they no longer fly jolly rogers or force their victims to walk the plank, they are no less dangerous. Check out these unsettling facts about modern pirates and where in the world you’ll find them.

Modern Pirates Use Advanced Technology, Including Night-Vision Goggles And Rocket Launchers - The days of pirates wielding swords are long gone but that doesn’t mean that modern pirates don’t carry weapons. In fact, piracy hasn’t changed in regard to pirates being heavily armed. The weapons they brandish have always been what makes pirates so fearsome and that’s especially true today, with modern pirates using everything from night-vision goggles to rocket launchers to rob ships.

These days, pirates use AK-47s and heavy machine guns to instill fear in their victims, while rocket launchers allow them to target ships from a long way away. They use night-vision goggles and advanced GPS devices to help with navigation and locating other ships at night.

Pirates Still Assault And Maroon People - While pirates from the Golden Age used to live their lives at sea, modern pirates typically base themselves on the shore and attack via speedboats. Their methods have changed, with guns being much more common among pirates these days than swords. But their goal is the same: to intimidate and rob crew members on other ships, sometimes assaulting and marooning them in the process. Pirates from the Golden Age often marooned members of their own crew who turned on them, while these days they leave their victims marooned and take off with their ships.

Modern pirates have even been known to take hostages for ransom. In some cases, those who have been kidnapped by pirates have even died at the hands of their captors.

They Attack Cruise Ships - This fact is definitely unsettling for anybody who likes cruising! Modern pirates typically target cargo vessels but they have also been known to attack private yachts and cruise ships, robing the personal belongings of crew members and passengers rather than targeting a ship’s cargo.

These Are The Places You’ll Find Modern Pirates - Of course, thousands of people travel by cruise ship or by boat every year and don’t come face to face with pirates. In some areas of the world, piracy is still essentially non-existent, while in others, it’s rampant. One of the most notorious places that you’ll find modern pirates is off the Somali Coast, between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean in the Gulf of Aden.

Other piracy hot spots include East Africa, the South China Sea, certain coastlines off South America, and in the Caribbean. There have also been reports of pirate attacks on the Danube River, particularly through the Serbian and Romanian stretches.’ (Source)

“But as I said before, we are not like those modern pirates,” Barnacle Bill says. “I just want you to get a picture of what most modern pirates do.”

Let’s continue - Where and Why Do Modern Pirate Attacks Happen?

Start at the beginning – Kimmy meets some pirates