Free Republic

NAIROBI, Kenya  —  U.S. warships are trying to stop Somali pirates from sending reinforcements to a lifeboat where an American captain is being held hostage as the high-seas standoff off Africa's eastern coast entered a fourth day Saturday. Underscoring the high stakes involved, France's navy on Friday freed a sailboat seized off Somalia last week by other pirates, but one of the hostages was killed. A Nairobi-based diplomat, who spoke on condition on anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to reporters, said the pirates have summoned assistance but at least two American ships and U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft...

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates holding an American hostage on a drifting lifeboat want $2 million for his release, a fellow pirate onshore said on Friday. The pirate, speaking to Reuters from Haradheere port, also said other pirates were taking a hijacked German ship, with foreign crew on board, toward the scene in the Indian Ocean where the lifeboat is floating, watched by U.S. warships. "Knowing that the Americans will not destroy this German ship and its foreign crew, they (the approaching pirates) hope they can meet their friends on the lifeboat," said the pirate, who has given reliable information...

Maritime officials in east Africa say Somali pirates are sending several hijacked ships carrying dozens of hostages to the site of a standoff with the U.S. Navy over American captive, captain Richard Phillips. Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vt., is seen in this family photo released on 08 Apr 2009 The officials say the pirates, who are holding Phillips on a lifeboat, are apparently trying to use the other hostages as shields. The lifeboat is being trailed by a U.S. warship, the USS Bainbridge. The pirates have threatened to kill Phillips if they are attacked. They are demanding a ransom...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy is moving a huge amphibious ship closer to the scene of the pirate hostage standoff off Somalia. Defense officials say the USS Boxer will be nearby soon. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive ship movements. The Boxer is the flag ship for a multination anti-piracy task force. The Boxer resembles a small aircraft carrier. It has a crew of more than 1,000, a mobile hospital, missile launchers and about two dozen helicopters and attack planes. Two other Navy ships are expected to remain much closer to...

The American sailor being held hostage by Somali pirates managed to jump off the lifeboat overnight but was recaptured, NBC News reported Friday. Captain Richard Phillips tried to swim away before being taken back into the pirates' custody, NBC's Jim Miklaszewski told the TODAY show. The escape bid was witnessed by the U.S. Navy but happened too quickly for them to come to his aid.

A US Navy destroyer stranded a hapless group of Somali pirates on the high seas. "We are surrounded by warships and don't have time to talk," one terrified pirate told Reuters via satellite phone.....the four blubbering buccaneers refused to release Capt. Richard Phillips, as the 510-foot destroyer USS Bainbridge, spy planes and drones kept tabs on the pirates' stranded, covered lifeboat, which had run out of fuel, with 10 days of emergency rations aboard. Capt. Richard Phillips offered himself as a hostage after his crew locked themselves in a room containing the ship's controls when the pirates boarded the vessel...

THE seizure of the Maersk Alabama and her American crew of 21 by pirates on Tuesday may finally be the wake-up call we need to deal with the ongoing piracy threat in the waters off Somalia. To their everlasting credit, the Americans on board saved the Obama administration from its version of Jimmy Carter's Iran hostage crisis by turning the tables on their captors and taking back their ship. Can we hope that the US government will finally be as decisive -- and truly act against this growing threat to world trade? The pirates prey at the Horn of Africa,...

MOGADISHU/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy negotiated on Thursday with Somali pirates who held an American ship captain hostage in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean, their first such seizure of a U.S. citizen. The gunmen briefly hijacked the 17,000-tonne Maersk Alabama freighter Wednesday, but the 20 American crew retook control after a confrontation far out at sea where pirates have captured five other vessels in a week. Four gang members were holding the captain, Richard Phillips, on the ship's lifeboat after he apparently volunteered to be a hostage for the sake of his crew. The Bainbridge, a U.S. warship,...

The U.S. Navy negotiated on Thursday with Somali pirates who held an American ship captain hostage in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean, their first such seizure of a U.S. citizen. The gunmen briefly hijacked the 17,000-tonne Maersk Alabama freighter Wednesday, but the 20 American crew retook control after a confrontation far out at sea where pirates have captured five other vessels in a week. Four gang members were holding the captain, Richard Phillips, on the ship's lifeboat after he apparently volunteered to be a hostage for the sake of his crew. The Bainbridge, a U.S. warship, arrived on the...

FBI in hostage talks with Somalis Capt Phillips apparently offered himself as a hostage to save his crew The US Navy has called in FBI hostage negotiators to help secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean. Capt Richard Phillips was taken from the Maersk Alabama cargo ship after it was briefly seized by pirates. Officials said a US warship had arrived in the area and was remaining in sight of the lifeboat during the tense talks. Relatives of the Maersk Alabama crew told US media the ship was now...

US warship reaches Somali coast Pirates are believed to be holding Capt Richard Phillips hostage An American warship, the USS Bainbridge, has reached the area off the coast of Somalia where a cargo ship was seized by pirates a day earlier. US crew members have recaptured their ship but the captain is still being held hostage by the attackers. The pirates' boat is floating near the Maersk Alabama, its owners told the Associated Press. Officials are waiting for sunrise to see what happens. The ship was taken about 500km (311 miles) off Somalia's coast. Other US vessels are speeding towards...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The owner of the Maersk Alabama, the American cargo ship held by Somali pirates, says a U.S. Navy warship has arrived off the coast of Somalia. A spokesman for the ship company Maersk, Kevin Speers, tells AP Radio that the destroyer USS Bainbridge is on the scene. He adds that the boat with the pirates is floating near the Maersk Alabama.

The U.S. is closing in on pirates that hijacked a U.S.-flagged ship off the coast of Somalia. According to a spokesman for the owner of the Maersk Alabama, which had been hijacked by pirates before American crew members were able to regain control of the vessel Wednesday, a U.S. Navy warship arrived at the scene Wednesday night. The ship's captain still is being held hostage on a smaller boat. Family members said Capt. Richard Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates to secure the safety of the crew. "What I understand is that he offered himself as the hostage," said Gina...

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2009 – A ship taken by pirates off the coast of Somalia this morning is now presumed to be under the control of its crew again, Defense Department officials said. The cargo ship Maersk Alabama was attacked by pirates early this morning and presumed hijacked, according to information provided by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. The vessel was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was assaulted about 300 miles off Somalia’s coast, officials said. The Maersk Alabama is home-ported in Norfolk, Va., and has a crew of about 20 U.S. nationals, John Reinhart, president and CEO...

NAIROBI, Kenya – The American crew of a hijacked U.S.-flagged ship retook control of the vessel from Somali pirates Wednesday but a crew member was still being held hostage, according to the ship's operator and another member of the crew. U.S. officials said American warships were heading to the hijack scene. A crew member aboard the vessel told The Associated Press that his shipmates were trying to rescue a crew member who was still being held. Colin Wright, who identified himself as a third mate aboard the ship, said, "Somalian pirates have one of our crew members in our lifeboat...

The administration was facing a grim international incident in what's believed to be the first pirate attack on an American ship in 200 years as the drama continued to unfold off the coast of Somalia on Wednesday. The majority of the crew of 20 American nationals were able to capture one pirate and negotiate their release, according to calls placed to the Associated Press by the free crew members, but the ship's captain and a crew member reportedly remained in the hands of Somali attackers. The U.S. flagged Maersk Alabama is home-ported in Norfolk, Va., and was carrying emergency food...

Pirates have Captain as hostage in a boat...

Breaking. Per CBS radio news.. the crew has regained control of the ship throwing three pirates overboard and capturing one.. Will post more.. Breaking

NAIROBI, Kenya - Somali pirates on Wednesday hijacked a cargo ship with 21 American crew members aboard, a diplomat and U.S. Navy officials said. The Kenya-based diplomat identified the vessel as the 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet confirmed that a Danish-owned, U.S.-operated container ship carrying 21 Americans "came under attack" about 240 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia. Maersk Line is one of the U.S. Department of Defense's primary shipping...

NAIROBI, Kenya - Somali pirates have hijacked a cargo ship with 21 Americans onboard, officials said on Wednesday. The 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama was taken Wednesday, according to the Kenya-based diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet confirmed that a Danish-owned, U.S.-operated container ship carrying 21 Americans "came under attack" about 240 nautical miles southeast of Ayel, Somalia. She said the crew had radioed for help but the closest naval ship was about 300 nautical miles away at the time. The official was unable...