Developing story from the Horn of Africa:
An unconfirmed report from the AP is saying that the Captain of the vessel is still being held hostage: According to the Associated Press:
A crew member on the vessel hijacked by pirates is telling The Associated Press that the ship’s captain is still being held hostage. The American says negotiations are under way for his release.
The AP called the ship’s satellite phone. The man who answered it said the 20-member crew had been taken hostage but managed to seize one pirate and then successfully negotiate their own release.
He says the crew has retaken control of the ship and the pirates are now in a lifeboat. But the man also says that they are holding the ship’s captain hostage in the vessel.
Confirmed report from CNN:
Crew members of a U.S.-flagged ship have regained control of the vessel from pirates who seized it, a Pentagon official said Wednesday.
Pirates took the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama early Wednesday.
The crew is believed to be safe, and one pirate is in custody, the official said. It’s unclear whether other pirates remain on board the ship or whether they have fled, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
John Reinhart, CEO and president of Norfolk, Virginia-based Maersk Line Ltd., which owns the ship, declined to confirm reports that the crew had regained control of the vessel.
“We had one communications earlier today from the crew, we were told the crew was safe,” Reinhart said.
The vessel, carrying 20 American crew members, was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was attacked about 500 kilometers (310 miles) off Somalia’s coast, according to a statement from Maersk Line Ltd.
The hijacking was the sixth over the past week.
The ship was attacked about 7:30 a.m. when the nearest U.S. Navy warship was about 300 nautical miles away, government sources said. On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy warned mariners that pirates were attacking ships extending hundreds of miles offshore. (via CNN)
I hope the crew is ok and that their families back home are being updated about their safety. I was a little nervous sailing through those water even with the Puerto Rico National Guard aboard.
I hope the crew is ok and that their families back home are being updated about their safety. I was a little nervous sailing through those water even with the Puerto Rico National Guard aboard.
Didn't this ship and others in this line have LRAD protection as do most of the cruise ships?
Didn't this ship and others in this line have LRAD protection as do most of the cruise ships?
dotcommonsense, I have not heard of any MSC ships using LRAD's. When carrying military cargo they have guns aboard BUT this ship was unarmed.
dotcommonsense, I have not heard of any MSC ships using LRAD's. When carrying military cargo they have guns aboard BUT this ship was unarmed.
can't any of these articles have a picture of the right ship? It is a self unloader, alittle over 17,000 tip tooon and 500' long . he times and fox are showing the wrong sh
can't any of these articles have a picture of the right ship? It is a self unloader, alittle over 17,000 tip tooon and 500' long . he times and fox are showing the wrong sh
Howitzer?
Why are these ships unarmed? It doesn't make sense that men in a speed boat can board a cargo. Blow them out of the water.
Howitzer?
Why are these ships unarmed? It doesn't make sense that men in a speed boat can board a cargo. Blow them out of the water.
This just goes to show you that the poorest nations on Earth are becoming more powerful than any industrialized nation or all of them combined.
It cost billions for the US Navy to be dispatched to these events, while it costs pirates… nothing – they get money.
Just wait until a war fleet of US Navy ships get held up in the Suez canal by a bunch of fishing vessels. It would be kind of funny, but it could definately happen. Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid.
This just goes to show you that the poorest nations on Earth are becoming more powerful than any industrialized nation or all of them combined.
It cost billions for the US Navy to be dispatched to these events, while it costs pirates… nothing – they get money.
Just wait until a war fleet of US Navy ships get held up in the Suez canal by a bunch of fishing vessels. It would be kind of funny, but it could definately happen. Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid.
All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ!
All the major news outlets, including CNN are saying that this is the first US registry ship to be captured by pirates in 200 years. This is NOT true. On May 12, 1975 Cambodian pirates captured the container ship SS Mayaguez off the coast of Cambodia, took her to Koh Tang Island, where a significant battle was fought for the return of the ship and her crew. I know. Fourteen of my Marine friends, and two Navy Corpsmen, and the USAF co-pilot and one crewman were killed during this action. It was BLT 2/9 from Okinawa who attacked the island, and units of BLT 2/4 recaptured the ship. Please don't let history forget our sacrifices. REMEMBER THE MAYAGUEZ!
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Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid."
You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ?
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Daniel said: "Hopefully someone who gets paid thinks of these kinds of things like I do, otherwise it would seriously make the US look really, really stupid."
You don't think Petraeus sending 3 ships of the line to take on 4 guys with machetes makes the US look stupid ?
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Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship– whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day.
Of all the ships to target in the United States Merchant Marine, the pirates picked the wrong ship– whose Cheif Mate is the son of the renowed Mass Maritime professor and famous educator Captain Joseph S.Murphy, II. His deck officer study guides have helped most modern mariners navigate the tricky waters of the USCG License exam. All of today's officers have used his materials at one time or another. There is probably not a more well known and well respected authority in the United States Merchant Marine. And the deck crew (SIU) are a bunch of sailors based out of New York. These pirates hit the jackpot. They'd have been better off to just having gone fishing that day.
Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one?
Does anyone here think the pirates may have thought they were attacking a Danish (or other) registered Maersk ship, not a US-flagged one?
Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong .
Why has no one proposed using the old ruse de guerre of Q-Ships? If Naval and Marine forces transited the area in seemingly innocent merchant ships, the pirates would engage these vessels thinking they were easy pickings and end up in a lopsided and doomed combat . They would never be able to tell what ships are harmless and which are combat ships in disguise. I'm sure it would make them all think again about the 'easy' money in piracy. As far as I know there is no law against disguise as long as the ship makes its true identity known upon engagement. Please correct me if I'm wrong .