5 Real Life Pirates

In 2016, a group of Peruvian pirates raided and took over a cruise as it sailed down the Amazon River. While no tourists were injured, the captain suffered a hospital-treated injury after being pistol-whipped and over $20,000 worth of the tourists' valuables were robbed.

There's a big piracy scene on the shores of Mexico, and 90% of them are associated with the drug cartel. Many major drug deals are in fact made offshore, and they are labeled as pirates both because of their illegal trading activities and because they've been known to shoot down any boat that comes in their way - including boats carrying the police and the general public.

Off the coast of Venezuela piracy is rife, with gangs of small-time pirates raiding both private and business-owned boats. From small sail ships to large oil rigs, the pirates aim is to rob them of anything of value and sell them on at the black market.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are a group of animal rights activists dedicated to stopping Japanese whaling. They use 9 vessels to try and derail and even attack whaling boats. While many see their intentions as well meaning, The Sea Shepherd's have sunk Japanese whaling boats and caused injuries to boatsmen - and as a result are regarded as terrorists by the Japanese government.

The coast off Somalia is widely regarded as the most pirate infested hot bed of the world. Every year around a hundred pirate attacks take place, usually involving business owned ships carrying cargo being looted. According to Oceans Beyond Piracy this costs companies at least $6 billion in trade loss a year.