Pirates Recapture Captain After Failed Escape
The American ship captain being held hostage off the coast of Somalia by pirates jumped off the lifeboat only to be recaptured according to U.S. military officials, reported VOA News.
The U.S. ship, USS Bainbridge, which was doing the work tracking the lifeboat, said the captain jumped off the boat within view of the warship and pirates jumped into the sea as well to retrieve him, according to VOA News.
Capt. Richard Phillips has been held since Wed. by the pirates when they overtook his ship the Maersk Alabama, according to VOA News.
The 20-man crew on the Maersk Alabama were able to gain control of their ship from the hijackers but the pirates took Phillips with them on the lifeboat, reported VOA News.
“At the moment, we have no ability to protect the waters or defend against the pirates,” Abdi Haji Gobdoon, spokesman for the Somali government, told The Christian Science Monitor by telephone.
Somalia is struggling to deal with these problems because of their weak government with very little support, according to The Christian Science Monitor.
“Nothing will change until we see more stability on land,” Rashid Abdi Sheikh, Somalia analyst with the International Crisis Group in Nairobi, told The Christian Science Monitor.
Comments
It's a shame you can't spot these people a bit easier, maybe they should wear the old style pirate outfit.
Seriously though, it is getting to quite a bad state when some of the major seaways in the world are nearly rendered useless.
We need some serious action by major governments to tackle this problem.
Phill
Posted by: Pirate Fancy Dress | June 4, 2009 2:44 PM