International Waters Known for Piracy

The travel routes of international shipping vessels sometimes cannot avoid certain areas known for piracy incidents. However, your employer should attempt to avoid these areas when possible to reduce the risk of assault, robbery, kidnapping and hostage situations related to pirate activity.

There are several known areas that exist in international waters where piracy has become a more common problem. These areas include: 

• The “pirate coast” off of the Indian subcontinent, mainly between India and Sri Lanka;
• The Gulf of Guinea, near Nigeria and the Niger River delta;
• The Malacca Strait, between Indonesia and Malaysia; and
• The Gulf of Aden, the most publicized area of piracy off the coast of Somalia and the south entrance to the Red Sea. 

Many of these areas are home to geographical features that provide hiding places for pirates. The Malacca Strait has thousands of islets that provide excellent ambush positions for pirate ships, and areas like the Niger River delta make it difficult to navigate larger ships to safety.

If possible, your employer should attempt to avoid sending your vessel through these areas to reduce the risk of becoming victimized by pirates. When these attacks do occur, they often cause psychological damages aside from physical injuries. This may lead to future emotional distress and result in a lawsuit for mental anguish. 

Maritime Lawyers Can Help with an Emotional Distress Lawsuit under the Jones Act 

The Jones Act Law provides you with certain protections your employer may not want you to know about. Maritime lawyers from The Young Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana can help you if you are seeking to file an emotional distress lawsuit after becoming the victim of piracy, kidnapping or other traumatic situations while working on an overseas oil rig, vessel or platform.

Though we are based in Louisiana, we are ready and able to help injured victims throughout the U.S. Order our free Maritime Injury Law guide and/or our guide to what to do when you are injured offshore to learn all about your rights as an injured worker. 

When you are ready to get started with your Jones Act injury case, we urge you to contact us today for a FREE case evaluation – call 1-504-680-4100 or toll-free at 1-866-938-6113.