Pirates attack UN ships in the Malacca Strait
{{date|July 4, 2006}}

According to a maritime regulator, [[pirates]] have attacked two [[UN]]-contracted ships in the {{|Malacca Strait]].

Reports say that no personnel on the ships were harmed, but the pirates took money and building materials belonging to the UN's [[World Food Programme]].

Noel Choong, of the [[International Maritime Bureau]]’s piracy centre in [[Malaysia]], said the two ships were sailing from {{w|Sumatra}} to {{w|Aceh}} when the pirates struck. "The attacks took place not far apart from each other. There is a possibility that they were carried out by the same pirates," Mr Choong revealed.

The attacks have boosted fears that piracy is escalating in the area. "We hope the two attacks are isolated incidents and not a start of more attacks," Mr Choong added. 

The Malacca Strait is one of the busiest sea lanes in the world, and for centuries, piracy has been a notorious threat in the Strait.

In 2005, Malaysia, [[Indonesia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Thailand]] announced they would start air patrols in a bid to tackle the threat from piracy.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5143858.stm
|title=Pirate attacks in Malacca Strait 
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=July 4, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3436057.stm
|title=Attacks by pirates on the rise
|author=Jonathan Kent
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=January 27, 2004}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4241894.stm
|title=Air patrols for Malacca Strait 
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=September 13, 2005}}

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[[category:Asia]]
[[category:Malaysia]]
[[category:Indonesia]]
[[category:Singapore]]
[[category:Thailand]]
[[category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:Merchant shipping]]
[[Category:Piracy]]
[[Category:International Maritime Bureau]]
[[Category:World Food Programme]]
According to a maritime regulator, pirates have attacked two UN-contracted ships in the
Transport Merchant shipping Piracy International Maritime Bureau World Food Programme