Pirate Saga Continues

Captain Richard Phillips, a Mass Maritime grad, is still being held captive by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. It's reported that Phillips attempted to escape by swimming away, but the pirates were able to regain control of him. (People are pissed that the Navy didn't nab Phillips while he was in the water.) The Maersk Alabama, the ship that Phillips had captained, has proceeded to its original destination, while U.S. ships confront the Somali lifeboat. Additional pirate ships, carrying additional hostages, may be on the way to the scene.

The Herald calls for the U.S. to end the cycle of ransom money—such as the $2.4 million recently paid by Norway—that has allowed the pirates to fund their operations.