Somali Pirate Takedown – Maersk Alabama Story Hits Prime Time TV

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:

“The world stopped and watched as the harrowing story of the Maersk Alabama unfolded. This special provides a riveting moment-by-moment account of the ship’s story — from the time the pirates boarded the cargo vessel to the safe return of Captain Phillips — in an emotional series of first-person interviews with the crew and new footage of the pirates. For the first time, viewers will hear the complete story of what really happened aboard the cargo ship. To be able to showcase the crew’s heroism as well as the U.S. Navy’s ongoing efforts to keep the waterways safe is an honor and a privilege for Discovery Channel and Military Channel.”

Using astounding footage of the pirates aboard the captured lifeboat and in-depth interviews with the men aboard the Maersk Alabama throughout the ordeal, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY provides a true understanding of the events that led to the dramatic rescue of Captain Richard Phillips.

Interviews with some of the Maersk Alabama’s crew include First Mate Shane Murphy, Chief Engineer Mike Perry, Second Engineer Richard Matthews, Third Mate Colin Wright and Third Engineer John Cronin. Some interviews, including Chief Engineer Mike Perry’s, are crew members’ first broadcast interviews where they share their experiences of confronting the pirates and regaining control of their ship. It was Perry who initially turned the tables by single-handedly capturing one of the pirates, who was later held captive by some of the crew including Matthews, Wright and Cronin.

After a failed hostage exchange, First Mate Murphy took control of the Maersk Alabama in Captain Phillips’ absence and shadowed the pirates until the U.S. Navy could respond to the crisis. Additionally, Vice Admiral William E. Gortney and Rear Admiral Terrence E. McKnight illustrate the U.S. Navy’s timeline of events from the Maersk Alabama’s initial distress call to the amazing conclusion featuring three simultaneous gunshots fired by U.S. Navy SEAL snipers. Kevin Dockery, Navy SEAL expert and author, discusses the expertise required to coordinate these deadly accurate shots from the fantail of a moving vessel.

Catch Somali Pirate Takedown: The Real Story Sunday, June, 21 at 10 p.m. E/P on Discovery Channel. Also be sure to check out our continued coverage of the incident found HERE and the first report from the vessel found HERE. You can also find the NPR interview with gCaptain editor John Konrad HERE.