Pirate Problem No More; US Captain Headed Back Home Safely

Where: Somalia

April 13, 2009 at 9:51 AM | by kjb | 0 Comments

While we were at home watching The Masters and overdosing on Peeps and chocolate bunnies, a dangerous hostage situation was unfolding but fortunately this one had a happy ending. Captain Richard Phillips was rescued from a group of Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia thanks to the incredible action of the US Navy.

The military hit the pirates with a surprise attack on Sunday, with snipers killing three of the buccaneers and taking one other pirate into custody. President Obama had issued the go ahead to use force if the captain was ever in "imminent danger," and apparently he was, as the pirates were holding an AK-47 to his back.

Although the captain is on his way back to his home in Vermont this week, some are worried that this is just the beginning of a larger problem. Those familiar with the pirate problem feel that this forceful action in the Indian Ocean will only increase violence in the area. Currently, there are about a dozen other ships and more than 200 crew members that are under capture by pirates and need some help too.

Among some of the many vessels, there�s a tugboat from Italy with 16 crew members aboard, and a carrier from Great Britain with a crew of 24 that�s trying to carry iron across the ocean.

So it's official. We like fictional pirates and their International Talk Like A Pirate Day much better.

Related Stories:
·Navy Kills 3 Pirates, Rescues Ship Captain [Washington Post]
·A Look At Ships Still Held By Somali Pirates [AP, via Google]
·Pirates coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Nick Humphries]

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