TIME's Closeup

2/10/11: The Arabian Sea
The Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of India, near Mumbai. What pirate fantasies a person could spin there among the coral reefs, swaying palms and sugary beaches. Lately, that fantasy has become grim reality, as Somali pirates search ever more distant waters for vulnerable vessels. With an international naval task force patrolling the sea off the Horn of Africa, the pirates have extended their range as far southn as Madagascar and as far east as the islands off India. This band of suspected pirates was captured Feb. 10 and loaded onto an Indian coast guard vessel. Not a "Yo ho ho" to be heard —but as long as Somalia is in chaos, there will be no shortage of buccaneers. — David von Drehle

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