Somali Pirates Seize Up to Five More Ships in 48 Hours

After a lull earlier this year, hijackers off Somalia’s coast seized as many as five ships in 48 hours, Kenyan maritime groups said on Monday.
The pirates somehow eluded the armada of warships from more than a dozen nations, including the United States, patrolling Somalia’s seas. Kenyan seafarers are now talking about a “pirate surge.”
“This hasn’t happened before,” said Andrew Mwangura, head of East African Seafarers’ Assistance Program in Mombasa. “The pirates are taking the opportunity to be more aggressive. They are pushing more southeast. They are moving down. They are using this opportunity to do whatever they can.”..more..http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/world/africa/07pirates.html?_r=1&partner=rss