Ambush of tanker in Gulf of Guinea shows pirates upping their game

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While piracy off the coast of Somalia has been in decline for over a couple of years, the absolute reverse is happening in West African waters, where pirates are becoming increasingly sophisticated and ambitious. This weekend a product tanker traversing the Gulf of Guinea southwards came across a pirate mothership lying in wait for prey some 200 miles offshore. It is thought to be the first time pirates in the region have used motherships, a warning sign that they are upping their game.