12 April 2009
An American merchant ship captain was freed from Somali pirates by U.S. Navy forces Sunday, as a new warning was issued about pirate activity in East African sea lanes near the Seychelles.
The employers of Captain Richard Phillips announced in a statement issued in Virginia in the United States that the U.S. government had informed them at 1.30pm Eastern time that Phillips had been rescued.
Phillips was held hostage after his crew had re-taken his vessel, the container ship, Maersk Alabama, from pirates last week. Phillips and four pirates had been drifting towards the Somali coast in a lifeboat from the Alabama.
CNN International quoted a senior U.S. official as saying three of the pirates had been killed and one captured in a rescue operation. No further details were disclosed. Two U.S. warships had been monitoring the lifeboat.
Also on Sunday, the Lloyd's Register-Fairplay shipping news web site said that "a massively increased multi-national naval presence" north of Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden, was forcing pirates to move south, and that commercial shipping in sea lanes near the Seychelles was now at risk.
"So far, three vessels have already been seized," Lloyds Register-Fairplay reported. "Two sailing yachts, the Tanit - which was rescued by French commandos but in which one marine was killed - and the Serenity have been seized.
"A third vessel, the Seychelles-flagged Indian Ocean Explorer, a research vessel kitted out for underwater photography, has also been seized and is now in pirate hands."
* Update: The U.S. Navy later announced that Phillips had been freed at approximately 7.19pm (12.19 pm Eastern daylight time).
Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, praised as "heroic" the actions of Phillips and his crew during the hijacking.
"They fought back to regain control of their ship, and Captain Phillips selflessly put his life in the hands of these armed criminals in order to protect his crew,” Gortney said.
Phillips was initially taken aboard the guided missile destroyer, the USS Bainbridge, and then flown to the amphibious assault ship, USS Boxer, where he contacted his family and received a medical evaluation.
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It's amazing how people can be gullible! This is a totally fabricated golden opportunity for NATO members to openly deploy themselves along the east coast without causing much of a stir. Talk about a diversion!
ALSO, I find it quite revealing that this ALLAFRICA story is so blatantly one-sided. I bet the author is not based in Africa. DO NOT BE FOOLED.
Absolutely right, my man! There is so much to want off the coast of Somalia. NATO will do anything to find a reason to send lots of their ships there. The riches, the wealth, so much NATO envies can be found off the East coast of Africa near Somalia!
Mugabe says the same thing, that the US/UK and other nations are just licking their lips looking for a reason to invade Zim! So many valuables just ripe for the taking!
Yes, Western nations would really like to invade Somalia and Zimbabwe to steal the great wealth that… [Read Full Text]
Second that. The verdant, fertile lands of Somalia coupled with all of the mineral riches make Somalia capable of being the next economic powerhouse in Eastern Africa.
NATO wants a piece of that action. They've been waiting years for an excuse to get in there. I mean, who doesn't want to get involved in a lawless state. Plus, so many healthy, vibrant people there to dominate!
We have figured you out NATO!
America doesn't want anything from your garbage dump countries. Somalia doesn't even have any oil and we have more fertile valleys than you do. If fact we can feed the world. What we want is for you to stop with your terrorism on innocent people off your coast. Don't make us invade you.
Didn't catch the sarcasm there I guess, huh?
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Active Discussions: Crisis Over Somali Pirates