Not all pirate hijackings have a happy ending like the Maersk Alabama. According to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center, 11 crew members were killed and another 21 were missing and presumed dead as the result of piracy incidents in 2008, when 49 vessels were successfully hijacked and 889 crew were taken hostage. Overall, 293 piracy incidents were reported in 2008, a rise of 11% over 2007. What's painfully clear is that while the pirates have been bloodied in some recent encounters, they remain prepared, persistent and predatory.
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