Pirates of the 21st Century

In November 2008, Somali pirates seized the Sirius Star, a supertanker carrying $100 million-worth of oil and demanded a $25 million ransom for its return. This story, following hot on the heels of the capture of the Ukrainian vessel MV Faina, brought piracy back to the front pages - but these were by no means isolated incidents. Throughout 2008, close to 90 ships were paid million-dollar ransoms to release them. What is the reason for this modern-day phenomenon and just who are the men behind it? In this fascinating, in-depth book, Nigel Cawthorne examines how a phenomenon thought to be consigned to history is once again a worldwide problem.

Nigel Cawthorne is the author of many bestselling non-fiction books. He lives in London.