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American Captain Tries Daring Escape from Somali Pirates .....(quickly recaptured)
ABC News ^ | April 10, 2009 | MARTHA RADDATZ

Posted on 04/10/2009 5:06:42 AM PDT by IrishMike

American Captain Tries Daring Escape from Somali Pirates

Both Sides Send Reinforcements to Pirate Standoff

The American captain being held hostage by Somali pirates dove into the water during the night in an attempt to escape, but was quickly recaptured, Defense Department officials said today.

The daring overnight escape attempt by Capt. Richard Phillips was the Vermont sailor's latest bit of heroics in the four day old drama on the high seas 300 miles from the nearest coastline.

Phillips had earlier volunteered to be a hostage after his unarmed men took back their freighter, the Maersk Alabama, from the pirates. The captain stepped forward to be a hostage to avoid a bloody battle with the gun toting pirates.

Phillips, 53, didn't get far in his effort to single handedly end the standoff. He was quickly recaptured by the four pirates in the 28-foot open lifeboat. The pirates, out of gas but armed with AK-47 rifles, insist on taking Phillips back to Somalia to hold him for ransom.

Tensions escalated around the little boat today with both sides sending reinforcements to the scene.

The U.S. destroyer Bainbridge has been keeping an eye on the four pirates in recent days and is being joined by another warship, the Halyburton, which carries two helicopters.

The pirates also claim to be sending reinforcements, hijacked ships with their captured crews as human shields.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News
KEYWORDS: 444; bho2009; bho44; escape; maritime; obama; piracy; pirates; richardphillips; somalipirates
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To: A Navy Vet

HMM.Well, if I was in the Captain’s place I think I would feel like I was being terrorized.


161 posted on 04/10/2009 11:48:36 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg
"HMM.Well, if I was in the Captain’s place I think I would feel like I was being terrorized."

Can't argue with that. So would anyone else kidnapped at gunpoint.

162 posted on 04/10/2009 11:51:14 AM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: IrishMike

Let me ask the obvious and tell me why this is not obvious.

The pirates hold a captive and therefore the US Navy hostage.

The pirates hold the hostage because they can physically control him.

So why not take that control away?

Why cannot a diver surreptiously sink that survival craft.

Pirates in the water is a more difficult scenario to control a captive.

Of course, the trick is to not have the captive harmed before they get in the water.

But once in the water, a diver can nab the hostage and provide air.

Once other pirates arrive, the game is over.


163 posted on 04/10/2009 11:58:59 AM PDT by School of Rational Thought
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To: IrishMike

It memory serves, the movis was named “Shooter”


164 posted on 04/10/2009 12:01:22 PM PDT by School of Rational Thought
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To: ecomcon

Lawyers were meeting with the UN for a decision?


165 posted on 04/10/2009 12:05:08 PM PDT by School of Rational Thought
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To: sauropod

Kill the pirates, behead them and dump them over their pirate stronghold. Terrorists shoud be the ones terrorized..


166 posted on 04/10/2009 12:29:39 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Obammy probably has a cousin on the puirate ship..


167 posted on 04/10/2009 12:30:27 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: Mouton

You have a keen mind..


168 posted on 04/10/2009 12:31:01 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: School of Rational Thought
"Why cannot a diver surreptiously sink that survival craft."

My guess is that any noise coming from the hull would alert the pirates. The inside of an enclosed lifeboat is like an echo chamber.

169 posted on 04/10/2009 12:35:17 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: CindyDawg
But they are't terrorists doncha know, it's a man-made disaster, caused by Americans
170 posted on 04/10/2009 12:36:50 PM PDT by 1000 silverlings (Everything that deceives also enchants: Plato)
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To: lacrew
My negotiation would have started this way: If Phillips dies, you all will die. If Phillips lives, you get to live. Since you’re out of gas, lets get this over with.

Phillips knows the score. He volunteered as a hostage to protect his crew. I suspect he will be spitting mad if any "bargain" is made for his release, other than unconditional surrender.

But, I think you have it right: all this screwing around has given the pirates a chance to bring in more hostages and escalate the stakes. As soon as the Navy was on the scene, a similar ultimatum should have been issued: release the captain, or we blow you out of the water. You have 10 minutes.

171 posted on 04/10/2009 12:58:09 PM PDT by justlurking (The only remedy for a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.)
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To: 1000 silverlings; navyvet
I've been thinking about what Navy Vet posted. Call um what ya want but when was the last time anyone holding hostages were given ransoms or freedom to leave the scene. We just can't start “paying up” It will just bring on a “next time”. We need to do every thing we can to save the captain but send a message that we will not tolerate this.
172 posted on 04/10/2009 12:59:47 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: A Navy Vet

I thougt the hull was soft like a life raft and a diver’s knife would be enough to let the air out.


173 posted on 04/10/2009 1:14:05 PM PDT by School of Rational Thought
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To: CindyDawg

Under Democrats, every two-bit pirate outfit kicks America around, it’s just more of the same. Jimmy Carter, Clinton, Obama, they want the world to “like them”. All thugs understand is force and strength. They should blow them out of the water, and or hang them, the captain lost his ship, and volunteered to be a hostage, so good luck


174 posted on 04/10/2009 1:17:55 PM PDT by 1000 silverlings (Everything that deceives also enchants: Plato)
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To: A Navy Vet
I'm not so sure, they may be part of a larger sceme,

And why arent these "Somali Pirates" NOT claiming to be Mujahadeen (google Al Qaeda somalia) ? ? ? Because Bin Laden claimed to be Mujahadeen, thats the only reason IMO. It might distract someones attention from paying off the latest federal reserve bank heist caused by artificially created crisis of toxic debt and the "need" to pay off Hedge Fund gambling debts (suddenly called in last september 9th) to the tune of 400 billion $ .

" have you forgotten " ? this pirate standoff is another battle in an economic war against the great satan and the sheeple just voted in a trojan horse as POTUS

175 posted on 04/10/2009 1:20:47 PM PDT by KTM rider ( Obamunism is coming, one if by land two if by election)
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To: School of Rational Thought

Bob the Nailer


176 posted on 04/10/2009 1:30:10 PM PDT by wordsofearnest (Job 19:25 As for me, I know my Redeemer lives.)
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To: CindyDawg
If I were president I would send a message to the Iranian navy/Somali Terrorists and say:

At this minute I am authorizing the US marine expeditionary force with an intial attack force of 20,000 troops and an aircraft carrier group with the mission to eliminate your trade and supply chain within Somalia. Logistics are under way.

you can reverse this decision by releasing the captain. If not we will also have no choice but to kill you (and the captain if necessary)and any other pirates and hostages withing range, in order to cut more costly future losses. You have one hour to the point of no return. In return you will be given fuel and a chance to make a run for it

177 posted on 04/10/2009 1:37:28 PM PDT by KTM rider ( Obamunism is coming, one if by land two if by election)
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To: 1010RD

“I knew the minute I saw his wife.”

She wears the pants in the family for sure.

This guy is pathetic.


178 posted on 04/10/2009 1:43:32 PM PDT by Gabrial (Obama Lied - The Economy Died)
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To: IrishMike

Tell you what, this captain has one set of stones. First giving himself as a hostage to save his crew, and then trying to escape from 4 guys with AK47s. It would not surprise me if he grabs one of the AKs and ventilates his captors. Boy would that be great.


179 posted on 04/10/2009 1:54:24 PM PDT by Gabrial (Obama Lied - The Economy Died)
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To: sauropod

yea , it is unbelievable to me that the Navy personnel
nearby did not totally open up on the lifeboat the second the capt. was in the water and swimming . Unbelievable !
How could they possibly allow him to be ‘re-captured’ , right under their noses ? ALL pirates should be sent to meet Davey Jones and all their bases should be subjected to unrelenting air strikes


180 posted on 04/10/2009 2:17:57 PM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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