Most dangerous ports in the world

1. Honduras
Honduras, an independent country located in Central America, was allegedly
declared the number one destination for homicides by the UN. On August 4th, 2016,
the U. S. State Department sent out a travel warning for the U.S. citizens, stating
that the level of kidnapping, crime, and violence in Honduras remains critically
high. A similar travel warning had been previously issued back in October 2015.
The port has one of the highest murder rates in the world ever since 2010. In March
2014, several tourists and cruise visitors were assaulted, robbed and terrorized.
They assaulted me then robbed me... holding a knife to my neck. I heard them
discussing kidnapping me for a ransom... or selling me to a slave market... to be
taken out by boat. I got away when another tourist group drove by with several
guys in the car. They saved my life. No one should go to this God forsaken island,
reportedly said a woman that was visiting Roatan at that time, whose identity
remained anonymous. Not only tourists are in danger when traveling to Honduras,
but also cruise ship staff. On April 6th, 2014, a Norwegian Cruise Line crew member
was shot and killed at the Bay Island of Roatan, located in Honduras, in a suspected
robbery. Rapes are also frequent in the area, and they even represent a danger for
the locals. Sexual assault is a concern in Honduras. Most Honduran local police and
medical staff do not have the capacity to properly investigate, handle evidence
collection, and/or provide medical care for sexual assault victims, is noted in the
travel warning issued by the U. S. State Department.
2. Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is reportedly the most dangerous of the ports in Bahamas, and has one of
the highest criminality rates in the Caribbean. Tourists that step off the cruise ship
in Nassau are vulnerable to armed robberies, sexual assault, murders and drug
trafficking. We receive more complaints about crime in Nassau than all of the other
ports in the Caribbean combined, reportedly stated Jim Walker, a Maritime Lawyer
who has investigated the most dangerous ports of call for travelers. On November
22nd, 2016, in one of the most recent murders cases in Nassau, a 25-year-old
woman was allegedly beat to death with a hammer, over a dispute for payment for
sex. Her body was found a day later by locals who alerted the police. The authorities
identified suspect Raphael D. Oyague, 36, who had allegedly met her on Craigslist
and invited her into his apartment. After the encounter, he supposedly killed her
and moved her body to a grassy area near a pizzeria. Oyague is charged with
second degree murder, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The suspect was ordered

held without bail. However, most rape and murder cases in Nassau often remain
unsolved.
3. Aden, Yemen
Aden Gulf in Yemen has one of the most dangerous ports in the world. It is home for
piracy and security has deteriorated in the past years, as Yemen is still at war and
the government is fighting with terrorist groups al-Qaida, Islamic State and Houthi
rebels. The waters of the coast of Somalia are so dangerous, that ship captains
allegedly turn off the exterior lights and also the GPS broadcasts while sailing in the
area. Furthermore, the port city has been recently targeted by terrorists. On April
12th, 2016, four people died and other seven were injured in an explosion claimed
by ISIS, targeting young army recruits. Later this year, on July 6th, 10 people died in
a terror attack, after a suicide bomber blew himself up near Aden International
Airport. On August 24th, 54 people were killed by a suicide bomber, while 67 seven
other were wounded. The health ministry of Yemen, Khader Laswar, reportedly
referred to the bombing as one of the deadliest attacks claimed by Islamic State in
the area.
4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Although Rio de Janeiro is a real touristic attraction for foreigners visiting Brazil, it is
notoriously dangerous. It is not only the original breeding ground for the Zika virus
outbreak, but also known for its very high crime level. Tourists are often robbed by
thieves that usually run rampant on beaches and on the streets of the city. The
waters are highly polluted and infected with bacteria, and visitors are warned to
stay away from the ocean. Also, the city is full of slums and favelas, that travelers in
the area are strongly advised to avoid. Only a month before the Rio Olympics, in
June 2016, the crew members of the Azamara Journey cruise ship were horrified to
see a dead body floating in the water close to the port.
5. Haifa, Eilat and Ashdod, Israel
Haifa, Eilat and Ashdod ports in Israel are in proximity to conflict zones. Ashdod is
only 18 miles away from Gaza, while Haifa lies 87 miles from the border with
Lebanon. The political and military tensions in the area make the ports unsafe for
visitors. On August 23rd, 2016, the State Department issued a travel warning for
Israel, The West Bank and Gaza. U.S. Citizens should exercise caution and remain
aware of their surroundings when traveling to areas where there are heightened
tensions and security risks. The Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority
both make considerable efforts to police major tourist attractions and ensure
security, particularly in areas where foreigners frequently travel, it is stated in the
warning. One of the most recent notorious incident in Israel took place in July 2014,
when rocket shrapnel reportedly landed on the deck of the German cruise ship
AIDAdiva, which was at that time leaving Ashdod.

6. Ports of Antigua
Antigua, an island located in the West Indies, is rich in ports and harbors. Travelers
often visit its capital and chief port, St. Johns, by cruise ships. Although it is seen as
a Caribbean paradise, as described by travel writers and cruise bloggers who accept
to hide the ugly side of ports in exchange for free perks, Antigua is reportedly one of
the most impoverished islands in the area. Criminality is at high rates, and tourists
often fall victims of thieves and murderers. Furthermore, the murder rate per head
of population in Antigua is reportedly three times more than that of New York. One
of the most covered murders in the international media occurred on July 27 th, 2008.
British Ben and Catherine Mullany, who had gotten married on July 12 th at St John
the Evangelist church in Cilybebyll, were on a honey moon in Jolly Harbour, Antigua.
It was on their last night when they were executed in their hotel room. Catherine
died on the spot, while Ben slipped in a comma and his life-support machine was
switched off on August 3rd. On August 18th, after the investigations of the Antigua
authorities, 17-year-old Avie Howell and 20-year-old Kaniel Martin where charged
with murder. It took two more years for them to be deemed guilty by the jury, on
July 27th, 2011.
7. Venezuelas ports
The Venezuelans ports are not at all recommended for cruise travelers. Venezuela is
reportedly one of the 25 most dangerous countries in the whole world, and one of
the deadliest. Its criminality is rated as critical by the State Department. The CIAs
website notes there is significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity,
especially along the border with Colombia on Margarita Island. Furthermore, on
February 7th, 2014, a gunman allegedly shot dead a German tourist, during an
attempted robbery, in Margarita Island. The victim had gone ashore from the Aida
Luna cruise ship, owned by Carnival. The man was killed while he was in a tourist
shop, located in a shopping center. However, robbery is not the only risk tourists in
Venezuelas ports are vulnerable to. The country is long known for political
differences with the United States, which exposes cruise ship passengers to human
trafficking and the narcotic trade. On August 7 th, 2016, the Department of State
issued a travel warning for U.S. citizens, concerning Venezuelas high criminality:
Armed robberies and street crime take place throughout Caracas and other cities,
including in areas generally presumed safe and frequented by tourists. Heavily
armed criminals are known to use grenades and assault rifles to commit crimes at
banks, shopping malls, public transportation stations, and universities. Criminals
may take advantage of power outages to target victims when lights and security
alarms are nonfunctional.
8. Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia, located in the Eastern Caribbean, is reportedly one of the cruise
destination most preferred by travelers. However, it seems that the island is more

dangerous than local tourism officials like to admit. As the British Government
states, there have been incidents of crime including murder, armed robbery and
sexual assault. On April 12th, 2013, 55 Celebrity Eclipse Cruise passengers and two
crew members were allegedly robbed at gunpoint by three men while visiting the
Botanical Gardens in Soufriere, Saint Lucia. In January 2014, an elderly British
tourist, named Roger Pratt, was reportedly killed in his yacht, while defending his
spouse, Margaret, from three armed robbers. His dead body was later found floating
around the yacht by his 60-year-old wife. Officers received information that three
armed men had boarded the vessel, attacked and injured the occupants before they
fled. Within minutes of the robbers fleeing, Margaret went in search of her husband
and found him floating in the nearby waters, a St Lucia Police spokesman said. The
murder tool place in the commercial port of Vieux Fort, on the south of the island.
Furthermore, while there is a low threat of terrorism, Uk health authorities have
classified St Lucia as having a risk of Zika virus transmission, as stated by the UK
Government on September 29th, 2016.
However, terrorism, criminality and even viruses are not the sole enemies of cruise
travelers. Sometimes, the cruise ships, especially the smaller ones, may not even
reach the port because of hazards in the water. Shipping containers are reportedly
often lost overboard due to storms and bad weather, and while some of them sink
right away, other containers drift away for months, following the currents. One of
the many consequences of them falling in the sea or the ocean is that their cargo
could damage the eco-system. Also, they are a real danger to yachts and small
ships. In 2006, a 42ft yacht named Moquini was reportedly found floating upside
down, 500 miles off the south-western coast of South Africa. Its designer, Alex
Simonis, blamed a floating shipping container for the sinking. According to a recent
study conducted by the World Shipping Council, up to 10,000 containers are lost at
every year. However, the industry does not seem to care about the damage they
cause, believes John Fossey, editorial director of Containerisation International: The
industry doesnt believe this is a big issue. Of much greater concern to them is
whats in the los containers.