The picture and story below is from The New York Times.
U.S. Captain Held by Pirates Is Rescued (click here)
By R.M. SCHNEIDERMAN
Published: April 12, 2009
The captain of an American cargo ship held hostage by armed Somali pirates was rescued on Sunday by United States Navy personnel, who killed three his captors, government and shipping officials said.
The pictures and story below is from The Los Angeles Times.
After receiving news that their captain was free, crew members of the Maersk Alabama celebrated on deck. The ship had reached its port destination of Mombasa, Kenya.
U.S. sea captain rescued after gunfight with Somali pirates (click here)
Richard Phillips, 53, had been held for more than four days by the pirates.
“This is truly a very happy Easter for the Phillips family,” said Alison McColl, an official with the ship’s owner, Maersk Line, Limited, who has been representing Captain Phillips’ family. “They are all just so happy and relieved.”
Maersk was told at 1:30 p.m. Sunday that Captain Phillips had been rescued, the company said in a statement. “John Reinhart, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maersk Line, Limited, called Captain Phillips’ wife, Andrea, to tell her the good news,” the statement continued. “The crew of the Maersk Alabama was jubilant when they received word.”
They are all brave men, from the crew of the Maersk Alabama, to the Captains and crews of our Navy Ships, to the Seals and to the President. They are all men to be proud of. They did great.
39 min 44 sec ago
Navy: Rescue under Obama’s authority; only seconds to decide (click here)
(NECN: Washington, D.C.) - The rescue of Captain Richard Phillips was under the direct authority of President Barack Obama, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bill Gortney told reporters over the phone on Sunday.
"Authorities came directly from the president," Vice Adm. Gortney said. "The number one authority for incidents if we were going to respond was if the captain's life was in immediate danger, and that is the situation in which our sailors acted."...
