http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/12/somalia.pirates/index.html
Hostage captain rescued, 3 pirates killed
* Story Highlights
* Official: U.S. forces kill 3 pirates after seeing captain in "imminent
danger"
* American captain freed after being held hostage by pirates since Wednesday
* Richard Phillips is uninjured, in good condition, U.S. official says
* Maersk Alabama and its American crew was attacked by pirates off Somali
coast
MANAMA, Bahrain (CNN) -- U.S. forces killed three pirates Sunday and rescued
cargo ship Capt. Richard Phillips, held hostage in a lifeboat since Wednesday,
after seeing him in "imminent danger," a senior defense official told CNN.
The official contradicted earlier reports that the captain jumped into the
water off Somalia on Sunday.
Three of the pirates on the lifeboat with Phillips were shot and killed, the
U.S. Navy said. A fourth pirate was aboard the nearby USS Bainbridge
negotiating Phillips' fate when the shootings occurred. He has since been taken
into custody, officials said.
Phillips' ship, the Maersk Alabama, was attacked by the pirates Wednesday. He
was uninjured and in good condition after his rescue at 7:19 p.m. (12:19 p.m.
ET) Sunday, a senior U.S. official said.VideoWatch how U.S. forces believed
Phillips was in danger »
Defense officials said U.S. forces aboard the Bainbridge believed the captain's
life was in danger, so shooters fired at the three pirates on the lifeboat.
Phillips has contacted his family and received a routine medical exam, the U.S.
Navy Central Command said in a statement.
Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart called Phillips "a leader
of men [and] a brave and courageous man."
He said he has spoken with Phillips, and said the captain is "feeling quite
good."
Phillips and his family, through Reinhart, expressed gratitude to the U.S. Navy.
"I actually was more concerned for his family," said Adm. Rick Gurnon, head of
the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where Phillips had trained. "As a captain
in sea, in a lifeboat, he was comfortable -- even if he was sharing it with
Somali pirates." VideoWatch Massachusetts Maritime Academy celebrate rescue »
Alison McCall, a spokeswoman for Maersk, owner of the Alabama, read a statement
from Phillips' family to reporters.
"The Phillips family wants to thank you all for your support and prayers. They
have felt the caring and concern extended by the nation," McCall said. "This is
truly a very happy Easter for the Phillips family." VideoWatch spokeswoman read
statement from Phillips' family »
Phillips offered himself as a hostage after the pirates stormed the
U.S.-flagged ship Wednesday morning about 350 miles off the coast of Somalia,
according to Maersk. The pirates retreated to the lifeboat with Phillips,
leaving the Alabama with its crew.
Phillips tried to escape by diving off the 28-foot, covered lifeboat Thursday
night, but one of the pirates dove into the Indian Ocean to retrieve him..
Maersk Alabama crew members, who guided the ship to Kenya over the weekend,
were "jubilant" when they received word of the rescue, a statement from the
company said.
At the White House, President Obama issued a statement saying he is "very
pleased that Capt. Phillips has been rescued and is safely on board the USS
Boxer."
"His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this is a welcome relief
to his family and his crew," Obama's statement said. "We remain resolved to
halt the rise of piracy in this region. To achieve that goal, we must continue
to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict
acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held
accountable for their crimes."
An administration official told CNN that Obama granted a Defense Department
request to move ahead with the rescue operation, saying the president permitted
the military to use appropriate force with a focus on protecting the captain's
life.
A man who answered the door at Phillips' home in Underhill, Vermont, on Sunday
afternoon told CNN's Stephanie Elam that the family had known the news for
hours. VideoWatch community's reaction to Phillips' rescue »
On Saturday, the FBI launched a criminal investigation into Wednesday's
hijacking of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship by Somali pirates, two law enforcement
officials told CNN. The probe will be led by the FBI's New York field office,
which is responsible for looking into cases involving U.S. citizens in the
African region, the officials said.
Snippets of information started to emerge Saturday about how the Maersk
Alabama's crew managed to retake the ship after it was hijacked by pirates
Wednesday about 350 miles off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean.
The Alabama reached port in Mombasa, Kenya, on Saturday. Crew members aboard
the freed cargo ship described how some of their colleagues attempted to "jump"
their pirate captors.
A scuffle ensued and one of the sailors stabbed a pirate in the hand in the
battle to retake the container ship, one of the sailors told CNN.
Crew members smiled broadly as they stood on the ship's deck under the watchful
eyes of security teams. Although the crew was kept away from the media, CNN's
Stan Grant got close enough to ask crew members what happened after the pirates
climbed aboard the ship.
One crew member said he recalled being awakened around 7 a.m. as the hijacking
began. View a timeline of the attack and its aftermath »
"I was scared," Grant quoted the man as saying.
Some of the crew managed to hide in a secure part of the Alabama as the pirates
stormed the ship, the sailor said.
As the sailors described their clash with the pirates, a crew member pointed to
one shipmate and said, "This guy is a hero. He and the chief engineer, they
took down the pirate. ... He led him down there to the engine room, and then
they jumped him."
The shipmate added that he stabbed the pirate's hand and tied him up.
"Capt. Phillips is a hero," another crew member shouted from the deck of the
freed ship.
Maersk CEO Reinhart told reporters Saturday that the crew will stay on board in
Mombasa while the FBI conducts an investigation.
CNN's Zain Verjee and Barbara Starr contributed to this report.
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