In total, 11 vessels were hijacked worldwide, with 212 crew members taken hostage and four killed. A further 45 vessels were boarded, 32 attempted attacks and 14 fired upon.
The number of piracy incidences in the first quarter decreased from 142 incidences recorded in the same period of 2011.
There has been a noticeable increase in the number of piracy in the Indonesian archipelago, up from five in the first quarter of 2011 to 18 this year.
Somalia, the piracy hotspot, continues to dominate figures with 43 attacks, including the hijacking of nine vessels and the taking hostage of 144 crew. As of 31 March 2012, suspected Somali pirates still held 15 vessels with 253 crew members as hostages, with an additional 49 crew members being held hostage on land.
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