There has been a significant drop in ship seizures and hijackings by Somali pirates in the troubled waters off East Africa.
Despite last years spike in piracy with 28 vessels captured in the first half of 2011, there were only three ships seized in the second half of the year according to the Commander of the European Union's anti-piracy task force. So far this year only four merchant ships have been seized by the latter-day buccaneers.
Has the scourge of Somali piracy passed?
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