News: Increased piracy attacks in the Gulf of Mexico

The club understands that there has been a recent increase in the number of piracy and armed robbery incidents in Mexican waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Security concerns are not a new phenomenon for the region with several reported incidents over the past few years.

However, there have been at least four reported armed robbery incidents during April 2020 involving vessels in the Sonda de Campeche area, Mexico’s main offshore area, located in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico. This latest activity included violent attacks on various offshore vessels with the attacks occurring up to 75 nautical miles from the coast. No kidnappings have been reported as it seems that the sole purpose of the attacks was stealing valuables on board. The perpetrators are said to have used small fast boats and are usually armed. These incidents prompted an alert by the US Maritime Administration on 17 April 2020.

Members trading in this region are encouraged to exercise caution and remain vigilant for any suspicious activity.

The club would like to thank Fernando Leon from Charles Taylor Adjusting in Mexico for his contribution to the publication of this news item.

Category: Maritime Security