Section 4: Hijacking and destroying ships

4. Hijacking and destroying ships (1) Subject to subsection (4), a person who unlawfully, by the use of force or by threats of any kind, seizes a ship or exercises control of it, shall commit the offence of hijacking a ship. (2) Subject to subsection (4), a person shall commit an offence where he unlawfully and wilfully— (a) destroys a ship; (b) damages a ship or its cargo so as to endanger, or to be likely to endanger, the safe navigation of the ship; (c) does, on board a ship, an act of violence which is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship; or (d) places or causes to be placed on a ship any device or substance which is likely to destroy the ship or is likely to so damage it or its cargo as to endanger its safe navigation. (3) Subject to subsection (4), subsections (1) and (2) shall apply— (a) whether the ship referred to in those subsections is in Mauritius or elsewhere; (b) whether any act referred to in those subsections is committed in Mauritius or elsewhere; and (c) irrespective of the nationality of the person doing the act. (4) Subsections (1) and (2) shall not apply in relation to any warship or any other ship used as a naval auxiliary or in customs or police service, or any act committed in relation to such a warship or such other ship, unless— (a) the person seizing or exercising control of the ship under subsection (1), or doing the act under subsection (2), as the case may be, is a Mauritius citizen; (b) the act is committed in Mauritius; or (c) the ship is used in the service of the Mauritius Police Force, in Mauritius. (5) Any person who commits an offence under this section shall, on conviction, be liable to penal servitude for a term not exceeding 60 years. P8A – 3 [Issue 4]