Washington, DC – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today reminded mariners about the importance of taking necessary precautions and implementing best practices in the wake of recent attacks on the M/V Harriett and Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia.
“These ships’ successful defense against pirates should serve as a reminder to the maritime industry of the best practices that can keep crews safe on the seas,” said Secretary LaHood. “Mariners should heed the lessons learned from past attacks and review defensive measures so that they are prepared when traveling through high-threat areas. The U.S. government will continue to work with ship operators to protect U.S. citizens in regions where piracy still poses a serious threat.”
Last week, the M/V Harriett thwarted a pirate attack by outrunning the pirate ship. Yesterday, guards aboard the Maersk Alabama repelled a pirate attack using small arms fire. No casualties were reported in the incident, which took place 350 nautical miles east of the Somali coast.
This was the second attack by pirates against the Maersk Alabama this year. In April, pirates hijacked the ship and took Captain Richard Phillips hostage, holding him at gunpoint in a lifeboat for five days until he was freed by Navy SEALs.
A maritime advisory issued in September by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration warned vessels to avoid routes where attacks have taken place while also recommending that mariners demonstrate a willingness to defend themselves. Additional information can be found in the press release.
On the early morning of 18 November 2009, 350 nautical miles east from the Somali coast, pirates attacked MV Maersk Alabama, a US flagged, Danish owned, 155 meter long, Container ship.
Pirates fired automatic weapons on MV Maersk Alabama who responded with fire from an embarked Vessel Protection Detachment. The crew managed to repel the attack and no casualties were reported. The vessel was previously hijacked in April 2009.
An EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Djibouti was tasked to investigate the situation and the closest EU NAVFOR naval vessel was tasked to search for the pirate attack group and neutralise the area.
The Maritime Patrol Aircraft stationed in Djibouti takes part in the EU NAVFOR mission Operation ATALANTA. The main tasks of Operation ATALANTA are to escort merchant vessels carrying food of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), the protection of vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.
The news story out this morning is that the US-Flag MAERSK ALABAMA has been attacked again by pirates. Surely that is news in itself. However, possibly the bigger story is news that the Maersk vessel had armed guards onboard who repelled the attackers.
Maersk Alabama attacked again – MAERSK Alabama evaded a pirate attack off the Somali Coast today, seven months after it was hijacked in nearby waters.
Pirates fired on the 1,098teu box ship with automatic weapons, but guards on the US-flagged ship returned fire and repelled the attack, a statement from EU NAVFOR said. There were no casualties.
An EU NAVFOR naval vessel is searching for the attackers.
During April’s hijacking, Maersk Alabama’s captain was held hostage before he was freed in a commando assault. Three pirates were killed in the operation.
In another incident near Somalia today, pirates have eluded a Spanish military fusillade and swum to freedom.
The pirates had held the Alakrana tuna trawler hostage for 47 days. They escaped to shore after turning over the 36 seafarer hostages, Spain’s defence ministry said.
Helicopters and other forces chased the last group of pirates to leave the trawler. At least one pirate craft was hit by fire but no casualties were reported, said the ministry of defence.
The trawler was freed yesterday after the reported payment of a $4M ransom. – Fairplay Homepage (Used with Permission)
At least in this case, having armed guards onboard did not escalate the attack. It ended it.
Get your TIVO’s ready…. In a new, featured, television show The Discovery Channel looks to find out the very real story behind the story of the Maersk Alabama incident and subsequent lifeboat hijacking. They tell us: [Continue Reading →]
UPDATE: Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has been plead not guilty to a total of 10 charges for his role in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama.
Eight of the 10 charges carry a maximum of sentence of life in prison. They are piracy, possession of a machine gun while seizing a ship by force, hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, possession of a machine gun during hostage-taking, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and possession of a machine gun during kidnapping.
The remaining two charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. They are seizing a ship by force and conspiracy to seize a ship by force.
Muse pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment this morning in United States District Court, Southern District of New York. You can download the indictment detailing all 10 counts below. [Continue Reading →]
Here is the Today Show’s exclusive interview with Captain Richards Phillips of the Maersk Alabama. Video courtesy of Hulu.com. NOTE: This video only available to U.S. viewers.
April 28: In an exclusive interview, Richard Phillips, captain of the Maersk Alabama, tells TODAY’s Matt Lauer about being held hostage by Somali pirates and being freed by Navy SEALs in a dramtic rescue.
To help us answer some of the questions we have been hearing regarding the Maersk Alabama crew member that is suing the ship owner, gCaptain contacted Jones Act attorney, gCaptain sponsor and, most notably, gCaptain member Steve Gordon to help us understand the legal principles behind this claim. He responded with the following email:
Dear gCaptain,
Today, in the 270th Judicial District Court in Houston, Harris County, Texas a lawsuit (case 2009-26129) was filed on behalf of Mr. Richard Hicks, a steward on board the Maersk Alabama. The suit alleges that Maesrk was negligent and that the Maersk Alabama was “unseaworthy” as that term is defined by federal maritime law. If you practice maritime law, you knew this was inevitable. We all know the facts as Captain Phillips’ plight was plastered over our televisions over Easter weekend and we all prayed for his safe return. However, it is not Captain Phillips who is suing Maersk. It is, instead, another crewmember who was on board the Maersk. Without personally commenting on the viability of Mr. Hicks’ claim, I would like to generally address the liability of a Jones Act employer, such as Maersk is, in situations such as this. [Continue Reading →]
The sole surviving suspected pirate in the attempted hijacking of the Maersk Alabama and resulting hostage-taking of the ships captain appeared before a federal judge this afternoon in NYC. However U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck ordered the hearing closed to the public while the suspects age is determined, an issue that will determine whether his case will be open to the public or not. According to the Associated Press:
U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck, over the objection of reporters crowded into a small courtroom, ordered the hearing closed to the public. The hearing will decide whether Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, whose age has been reported to be 15 or 18, is a juvenile or an adult.
Before court officers closed the courtroom to the media, Muse was asked if he understood that two federal defenders were being assigned to his case because he reported having no financial resources. Muse said through an interpreter: “I understand. I don’t have any money.”
Muse arrived in New York late Monday to face what are believed to be the first piracy charges in the United States in more than a century. [Continue Reading →]
Here is a collection of photos taken from this past week’s Maersk Alabama piracy incident. The images and descriptions are provided the U.S. Navy. These are just a few of the many images the Navy has made available on their website HERE.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) tows the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama to the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) [Continue Reading →]
The vessel has a crew of 20 US nationals and is owned and operated by Maersk Line, Limited in the US. Maersk Alabama is home-ported in Norfolk, VA. The vessel was en route to Mombasa, Kenya with a shipment of food aid, amongst other cargo, at the time of the attack.
Capt Richard Phillips, of Underhill, Vt, was taken hostage before his crew was able to regain control of the ship. The American crew was able to overpower and capture one of the four pirates, but released the pirate in a failed attempt to trade the hostage for the Captain. The four Somali pirates escape with Captain Phillips aboard the vessels 28 ft encapsulated lifeboat.
The ship’s crew was able to disable the vessel when the pirates got aboard. The Somali pirates never gained control of the ship.
Chief Mate Shane Murphy, a 2001 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, assumed the role as Captain of the Maersk Alabama when Phillips is taken. Shane Murphy is son of the famous Mass Maritime professor, Joe Murphy, author of the popular maritime license study guides known in the industry as “The Murphy Books“. [Continue Reading →]
After being held hostage for days in a drifting lifeboat, Capt. Richard Philips has finally been rescued by a team Navy SEALs. Details on the rescue operation are still unclear, but it is reported that the “captain was freed unharmed Sunday in a swift firefight,” with three of the four Somali pirates killed in the operation.
Captain Richard Phillips, who is said to be in good condition, was immediately taken aboard the USS Bainbridge and has been transferred to the USS Boxer to undergo medical examinations. The surviving Somali pirate is in custody aboard the Bainbridge.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) tows the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama to the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) 
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