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US sends warship to save captain
Ed Harris09.04.09
A US NAVY warship arrived off the coast of Somalia this morning as negotiations began to rescue the captain of an American cargo ship who was seized by Somali pirates.
The intervention of the destroyer USS Bainbridge comes hours after the unarmed American crew of cargo ship Maersk Alabama fought back against pirates who hijacked their vessel and regained control.
The pirates fled in a lifeboat and in the confusion took the cargo ship's captain, who has been named as Richard Phillips. Negotiations with the hostage-takers were under way by radio this morning.
Four pirates armed with Kalashnikovs pounced on the Alabama more than 300 miles off the Somali coast before dawn yesterday. Second mate Ken Quinn described how the crew, who had undergone anti-piracy training, captured one of the pirates and kept him tied up for 12 hours.
As they attempted to negotiate the release of their captain, they freed the captive pirate. But the gang refused to free Capt Phillips.
“Right now they want to hold our captain for ransom, and we are trying to get him back,” Mr Quinn told CNN. “So now we're just trying to offer them whatever we can — food. But it's not working too good.”
Mr Quinn said the pirates sank their own boat when they boarded the container ship. However, the captain talked them into getting off the freighter and into the ship's lifeboat with him. The crew then overpowered one of the pirates and sought to exchange him for the captain.
But the attackers fled and crew members were this morning using radios to keep in contact with Capt Phillips.
Kevin Speers, spokesman for Maersk, which owns the 17,000-tonne Alabama, said that the pirates were floating in the lifeboat near the cargo ship and Somali and shipping company officials were waiting until dawn to see what happened when the sun rose.
Maritime officials said the Alabama was carrying food aid for Somalia and Uganda from Djibouti to Mombasa in Kenya.
The seizure was the latest in a series of pirate attacks off the lawless Horn of Africa country. The Maersk Alabama is the first ship with an American crew to be taken by pirates in the region.
Maersk Line president John Reinhart said company protocol advised the sailors not to attempt to retake the ship once hijackers were on board.
The Bainbridge is among several US ships, including the cruiser USS Gettysburg, patrolling in the region. At least six other vessels are said to be steaming toward the Alabama.
Reader views (10)
Brenda from Wyoming : you lost on that bet !
- Terry. B, Toulouse, France
It wouldn't happen here. We might offend the Somali's with our gunfire.
They have rights you know!
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
About time, now about those other ships...What cost Freedom?
- Donald Filak, Bisbee, Az, USA
This is from a Brother of mine, guest speaker here, As a Navy vet, I am ashamed of the new Navy. The Navy was created to protect American merchant shipping.(as well as our borders) This is the first time in history a vessel flying the American flag has been boarded and captured. Yes on the Obamanation watch, we are now the cowards of the world instead of the leaders, we are no better than England surrendering to Iran. Where are the iron men of yester-year that made America great? not in the white house. The sky is falling the sky is falling doesnt work in the real world. I am going to have my anchor tatoo removed from my forehead, and Mrs Obama's arms tatooed in place. That is the change we can count on!HOOYA!! I TEND TO AGREE WITH HIM U.S.Army '70-'76
- Donald Filak, Bisbee, Az, USA
This kidnapping has been ignored by Obama and the media here in the US. There was zero mention of this ongoing tragedy in my daily paper,the St Paul Pioneer Press.
- Jetmpls, MplsMn USA
Obama will do nothing about this, because we 'are not at war with islam', and as the Somalis are muslim, well, we're pretty much screwed.
- Brenda, wyoming
So the international community are wringing their hands at their apparent inability to do anything about those nasty Somali pirates. What a surprise ! If the UN couldn't do anything about the slaughter in Rhoanda or against the greed & merciless decimation of Mugabi's people in Zimbabwi, what chance have they in coming together to act in unison against a bunch of AK 47 toting pirates in quite zippy boats !
- Julian Shore, bournemouth England
The pirate are doing great job securing somalia natural resources from exploitation by foreign countries. somalia coast has been used as a dumping site of toxic and chemical waste by western powers and the pirate are somali coast guard. the ransom being paid by the ship owners is a payback. osnmalia have no navy but pirate can do the job better than even international navy fleets accumulated in the horn of africa.
- Homeboy, london
Now if it was a British ship, staff in the Ministry of Defence would still be arguing about whether they could afford to pay for the coffee and biscuits for the meeting to decide on the colour of the carpets for the room in which to discuss the 'worrying' situation of an alleged attack.
- Patrick, Dalston
Please, please send in all you have.....and then if I'm right the punishement for piracy is to ''hang them high'' !
- Terry. B, Toulouse, France
