Wave height and attacks

Satellite observations of wind speed (left) and significant wave height (right) for 2010-2011 attempted and successful pirate attacks off Somalia. The GlobWave databases provided observations of significant wave height and surface wind speed for 54% of all pirate attacks. Wind speeds during pirate attacks were mainly low – but once wind speeds exceeded 9 m/s, no successful attacks occurred. Nearly all piracy was in seas with wave height less than 2.5 m, and most attacks were conducted in calm oceans with waves less than 1 m in height. No successful attacks occurred on days where wave height exceeded 2.5 m.