More pirates – and shots fired
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/africa/04/10/somalia.u.s.ship/art.captain.family.photo.jpg caption="Capt. Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama is being held by pirates on a lifeboat off Somalia."]
Mike Mount
CNN Pentagon Producer
The U.S. military believes a number of pirates in hijacked vessels are looking to find and help the pirates holding Richard Phillips, captain of the hijacked Maersk Alabama, an official with knowledge of the situation tells CNN. The military believes their intention is to assist the pirates in the lifeboat.
The military is hearing this from audio intercepts.
Pirates fired shots when Phillips jumped in the water this morning, trying unsuccessfully to escape. And one pirate jumped into the water to get their hostage back.
Phillips was seen walking around inside the covered lifeboat after his escape attempt.
One of the pirated ships heading to the scene is the German cargo ship Hansa Stavanger, seized April 4th off the east coast of Somalia. The ship's crew of 24 includes five Germans, three Russians, two Ukrainians, two Filipinos and 12 from Tuvalu.
|
|
Filed under: 360° Radar • Mike Mount • Pirates |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
We rightfully extol the skill and bravery of our "Navy Seals." We don't want anymore loss of life in this Alabama piracy encounter. So, here's a thought: Have Naval Seals in their re-breathers swim the hundred or so yards to the pirates ship, perhaps under cover of darkness. Run a steel cable with a steel "T" on the end, through the ring on the front of the pirate's vessel, and attach the other end to a tow rope. Fire up the US Naval vessel and tow the pirates farther and farther into open sea until they decide they have had enough and give up. This precludes "other pirate intervention/complications" and if the pirates don't give up tow them all the way to an allied country and send them to the US to be tried on applicable piracy, etc. charges .
Why do have the US Navy Seals again?
US Govt needs to send a STRONG message to these Pirates.
Kill them all and quickly. They are a waste of space and our time.
These shipping companies and insurance entities need to hire private security ( Blackwater) or other private companies to patrol these ships until the cargo is safely dilvered.
500,000 for security detail providing insurance vs 20 million in ransom money??
Who are these brain childs calling the shots?
GOVERNORS OF CALIFORNIA ,NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND ILL
If you can get rid of the Governors of California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois for being stupid, why can't we get rid of the Governors of South Carolina and Louisiana for being stupid? The people of these states need the stimulus money. If you will go to the internetfree press, you will find out more than you know.
And we are not blowing those fellow pirates out of the water why? The US Special Forces Command has plans drawn up to attack the pirates and their ships in their sactuaries and destroy them. They are just waiting fot the White House to give approval. However, that goes against the methods of President Apology, who would rather bow to the King of Saudi Arabia than protect freedom of the seas for US citizens.
My mom grew up in the Philippines. Same situations. The Abu sayyaf want their country back. My mom is catholic. Before the spaish settled the Philippines, the filipinos were muslim or pagans. The Abu Sayyaf is fighting for something that happened hundrends of years ago. The Phillippine government, is fighting for peace. The regular people, catholic or islamic want peace. Both sides need to realize what they are doing to one another. Both sides need to let go of their issues. I want peace.
If I was a negotiater, I would say this to the pirates, "The people you guys are holding hostage have families. They are not here to hurt you. Once they are dead, they have no chance to see them again. As for you, by doing this you are signing your own faith. If you kill them, we will kill you. If you drop the gun, you will go to prision, but you have the oppurtunity to see your friends and family."
The world is full of creed. We are all creedy to a certain extent. For me, all I want to do is finish college, and live a happy life. Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you are happy you are sucessfull.
Not because of their race or relgion, but because they are pirates. The problem with those countries, is they are poor. We need to be thankful that we live here in america.
I believe you need to be hard on the pirates.
The Obama admisistration needs to change some of these policies with the help of other countries. Or these pirates and others like them will become stronger with the money they are stealing from other cargos from other countries! Something needs to give but not our money!
The government policies are trying to keep the kidnapped captain alive you boneheads. I agree that anymore pirates that come any closer should be taken out.
The Obama administration seems to have the same exact policies in place that the Bush administration did, and I don't really know how it can change without getting innocent people killed.
Let them come,the more the merrier,we can kill them all if their stupid enough to take on the US Navy.We need some feel good action and this is just what we need.America defends its citizens,especially from pirate terrorists..
What we do NOT need is another failed U.S. military intervention in Somalia. Been there. Done that. Failed miserably. If push comes to shove - and it very well might - we should utterly vanquish the pirates and their reinforcements and pray to God the process doesn't result in the deaths of innocent hostages. The larger issue is what to do about the ongoing chaos in Somalia. As long as anarchy continues to reign there unabated, the piracy problem will persist.
An escape attempt by Captain Phillips should have been anticipated by the Navy. Gunners on board should have been watching for such an occurrence so they could provide covering fire. That way the Captain would have gotten away and the pirates would have gotten what they deserve.Shame on the Navy for not expecting this!
Why are we not hear anything about the other counrties wit hostages? Are we going to do all the dirty work and be held acountble for fatalities.
I pray the safety of the captain Richard Phillips. The worlds needs to address this ongoing problem.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good – Breakaway Region Somaliland (Deserves to be recognized)
The Bad – Puntland – Home of Pirates (It is time to REALLY punish these guys)
The Ugly – Southern Somalia – Home of Terror and Lawless. The world need to leave these folks alone so that they can resolve their own issue (They should learn from their brothers of the north – Somaliland)
**The world will be a better place if we honestly unite against our common enemy.
God Bless You All.
The pirates are coming in with other hostages from other hijacked vessels from what the article says. Making it more difficult. It might get very interesting to see if the US will finally grow a pair. I'm embarrased by our government policies towards these pirates / Muslim terrorist.
Apparently, President Obama does not know why the Marine Hymn has a reference to "the shores of Tripoli," as if he did , he might understand why it is beter to stand up to pirates rather than to appease them. President Obama need to understand that the USA needs to be respected, not liked by the international community. Weakness will only lead to more efforts to attack the USA. Weakness during Clinton's presidency led to 9/11; weakness now leads to pirates atacking a USA flagged ship and having the gaul to send in reinforcements. President Bush had his flaws, but fear of taking action was not one of his flaws.
Hopefully, the military can deal with any pirate reinforcements before they get too close to the lifeboat the pirates and the captured Captain are in. Once the pirates with the Captain find out its going to be harder than they hoped to get help, they'll let the Captain and try to make a run for it.
I believe we should keep everybody away from that life boat, especially more pirates. If they come close, we need to blow them out of the water, after we warn them of coarse. Do not let that boat get to shore or let others get to them!