Results tagged “somalipirates”

The U.S. Central Command confirmed Somali pirates shot and killed four American hostages, Jean and Scott Adam, of California and Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, of Seattle, on Monday. Negotiations for their release were underway when they were killed. According to reports, sailors on the Navy ships, including an aircraft carrier, trailing the pirates heard gunfire and boarded the ship but were too late to help the Americans. Two pirates died and 13 were captured. The ship, called the Quest, was the home of Jean and Scott Adam since 2004. A pirate was sentenced to 33 years in jail over the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. [Globe] more ›

Navy SEALs shot down three Somali pirates to rescue Captain Richard Phillips, who had been held hostage since his boat, the Maersk Alabama, was attacked on Wednesday. Phillips gave himself up in return for his crew's safety. After an aborted escape attempt on Friday, the Navy was finally able to secure Phillips' safety. Phillips is being hailed as a hero, and rightly so, but the pirates still have control of more than 200 other hostages. Let's hope their safe return can be negotiated. more ›

CNN is reporting that Richard Philips has been freed from his pirate captors, all but one of whom have been killed. Stay tuned for more updates. more ›

Massachusetts native Richard Phillips is not alone: Somali pirates have seized a tugboat with 16 passengers, owned by Italy and operating out of the UAE. The boat and passengers are being held by the pirates, who have over 200 additional hostages in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Some Somali elders want to negotiate a mediation that would involve the safe return of the Somali pirates, who have requested a $2 million ransom for Phillips. We hope the safe return of all hostages can be negotiated without ransoms that would fund further piracy, but that may be wishful thinking. In other pirate news, Phillips' ship, the Maersk Alabama, has arrived in port in Kenya without him, and the USS Boxer, which contains hospital facilities, is expected to arrive soon on the scene of the standoff between Phillips' captors and US ships. more ›