CAIRO: The commander of a multinational naval force off Somalia s coast says a shipping corridor patrolled by warships is helping protect merchant vessels from a surge in pirate attacks.
Danish Commodore Per Bigum Christensen says 90 percent of ships transiting the perilous Gulf of Aden are using the corridor and there have been no attacks inside the zone since it was established in August.
Christensen said in a phone interview Monday from his East African base in Djibouti that coalition naval forces were also having success using planes, helicopters and drones to search for suspect vessels.
Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have surged 75 percent this year, as bandits lured by million-dollar ransoms have pushed farther out to sea. -AP
