American Captain Tries Daring Escape from Somali Pirates .....(quickly recaptured)

ABC News ^ | April 10, 2009 | MARTHA RADDATZ

[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.

[fso301]

From another thread, apparently Obama has given the order for the Navy NOT to shoot, and is NOT allowing the SEALs into the water.

Can you direct us to the thread?

[elc]

I’m betting that post on another thread is just someone making assumptions, with no evidence of those orders.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Hmmmmmm? I wonder, what would Palin do in this situation?

[Ben Hecks]

Here’s some info on the lifeboat - it’s enclosed and similar to the ones carried by cruise liners:

http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/

[jveritas]

Case closed...message sent and received.

It is too late to send any message to Al Qaeda terrorists, the Taliban terrorists, the Iranian terrorist regime, the North Korean communist regime, Hizballah terrorists, Hamas terrorists and host of our other enemies not mention Russia and China. No matter what we do now in this hostage situation these enemies are greatly emboldened by our weak response to the Somali pirates even if we end up killing all the pirates and launching missiles into Somalia. They know that Obama is the weakest President ever and because of that they are going to cause us great harm.

[Jim Noble]

if something happens to him - they are all dead

I don't believe that for a second. They are going to kill him in front of the whole world, as soon as CNN is on scene - and Obama will let them go.

[Jim Noble]

It is too late to send any message to Al Qaeda terrorists, the Taliban terrorists, the Iranian terrorist regime, the North Korean communist regime, Hizballah terrorists, Hamas terrorists and host of our other enemies not mention Russia and China.

Not at all.

Obama has already sent them a message, and they've heard it loud and clear.

[fso301]

USS HALYBURTON is named for the late Pharmacist's Mate Second Class William David Halyburton, Jr. , USN. A native of Canton, North Carolina, he was a graduate of New Hanover High School, Wilmington, North Carolina. His enrollment at Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, where he planned to prepare himself for the ministry, was put aside to go into the service.

His citation is as follows:

[IrishMike]

Hmmmmmm? I wonder, what would Palin do in this situation?

The hunter would become the hunted.

[IrishMike]

Thanks

[jveritas]

And what was this message Obama sent? We are weak, very weak.

[joe fonebone]

Let’s see...........FUBO has already drafted the strongly worded letter, and Hillary has spoken the really stern rhetoric on tv.....the fbi negotiators are in place.... that will be it from america...and the message sent is “Come on over and take our people, anytime, anyway you please. After all, it’s not like we were at war with you or anything”.......

[Tenacious 1]

Snipers were my thought too. I don’t know how people hide in a 20’ life boat. The waves could be a challenge for the snipers, however.

Divers? Is there a seal team that can swim out there? A small hole to cause a gradual sinking would certainly get things moving along.

If we can’t handle 4 terrorists holding one man hostage in the middle of the ocean with no fuel and limited food and water, I will be embarrassed.

[Dixie Yooper]

Hey Zero - what says the teleprompter ?

The teleprompter says "ask Nancy Pelosi what to do, she's a been big help so far"

[Girlene]

According to the AP, Boat captain tries to escape Somali pirates , the escape happened around midnight local. A Navy ship patrolling nearby was able to see him moving/talking on the lifeboat after being recaptured.

[Mouton]

Thanks for the ship info.

Home port: Mayport (which was also home port of the Stark).

FUBO needs to have someone play for him the USMC anthem, especially the part about “to the shores of Tripoli).

My opinion of FUBO (looking for those stickers as I love that one), is lower than whale dung and getting lower by the day.

[Tenacious 1]

....Then I saw the link to the lifeboat and my question was answered. no snipers.

[bert]

“We have them in sight and have begun to draft the proposal for release. The people of the world must know that we are fair and honorable. We will not rush to destruction in a moment of anger. The prosperity of the world depends on free and unrestricted sea lanes and we will prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law”

Thus saith the Teleprompter on Blackening Friday

[Tax-chick]

James Morrison could play Capt. Phillips, since Scott Glenn is too old.

[Mouton]

Maybe so. If that is the case, we better close up shop and fly the white flag.

Never in the course of human events has a nation’s prestige fallen so quickly IMO.

Vince