More than 1,000 people held hostage by pirates in 2010 – minister

South Africa’s Defence Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu on Wednesday said more than 1,000 people were taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean in 2010. Sisulu, who was addressing the Third India Ocean symposium for senior naval officers said in 2006, pirates took more than 180 people hostage at sea across the globe. She said the conference was aimed at dealing with the growing threat of piracy in African waters. The minister said that Southern African Development Community (SADC) would use the three day conference to formulate strategies to tackle piracy in member countries’ waters. The minister said that the conference would also provide South African Navy the opportunity to decide whether to deploy armed forces on the country’s merchant vessels.