Piracy, any robbery or other violent action, for private ends and without authorization by public authority,

committed on the seas or in the air outside the normal jurisdiction of any state

Because piracy has been regarded as an offense against the law of nations, the public vessels of any state
have been permitted to seize a pirate ship, to bring it into port, to try the crew (regardless of their
nationality or domicile), and, if they are found guilty, to punish them and to confiscate the ship.

According to international law, piracy takes place outside the normal jurisdiction of a state, without state
authority, and is private, not political, though acts of unlawful warfare, acts of insurgents and
revolutionaries, mutiny, and slave trading have been defined as piracy by national laws of various
countries or by special treaties.

Piracy has occurred throughout history. In the ancient Mediterranean, piracy was often closely related to
maritime commerce, and the Phoenicians appear to have engaged in both, as did the Greeks, the Romans,
and the Carthaginians. In the Middle Ages, Vikings from the north and Moors from the south also
engaged in piracy. At the conclusion of European wars during the Renaissance and after, naval vessels
were routinely laid up and their crews disbanded; the unemployed crew from these ships were often
drawn into the service of pirates.

What is piracy at sea?

Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another
ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable items or
properties. Those who engage in acts of piracy are called pirates.

Preventing Pirate Attacks

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Fortunately, there are tools and techniques for avoiding, preventing and surviving pirate attacks.
A satellite system called ShipLoc allows shipping companies to monitor the location of their
ships. This can be particularly useful if pirates hijack or steal a ship. Companies can also install non-lethal
electrical fences around a ship's perimeter, as long as that ship does not carry flammable cargo. In addition,
International Maritime Organization regulations require ships to be able to send distress signals and warnings
covertly in case of pirate attack.

 Avoid discussing a ship's route or cargo while in port

 Keep constant watch in areas prone to piracy
 Avoid bottlenecks in shipping lanes
 Search the ship before leaving port to make sure no one is on board without
authorization
The best defense against a pirate attack is evasion -- it's easier to keep pirates from
boarding than to force them to leave. Upon detecting the approach of pirates, a crew
should:

 Call for help and warn other ships in the area

 Take evasive action and attempt to out-maneuver the attackers
 Sound the alarm, use the ship's lights to illuminate the vessel, and do anything else
to make the pirates aware that they have lost the element of surprise
If the pirates approach the ship, the crew should first try to throw off any grappling hooks or
poles before the pirates can board. Crew can also use the ship's fire hoses to deter pirates
or try to push them overboard. However, experts discourage crew members from carrying
firearms, since the presence of weapons can encourage attackers to respond with violence.

Once the pirates board the ship, the crew's first priority is to ensure their own safety. The
crew should also try to stay in control of the craft and encourage the pirates to depart. You
can read more about recommendations for surviving a pirate attack on the International
Maritime Organization's safety pages