US Navy Rescues American Captain Held by Somali Pirates in Dramatic Nighttime Assault

Strategic Insights -

Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, saving the life of Capt. Richard Phillips, who was held on a tiny lifeboat by three Somali pirates in a lifeboat being towed by the USS Bainbridge. The operation, personally approved by President Obama, was a victory for the U.S. and ended a five-day standoff between a team of rogue gunmen and the world's most powerful military. The Navy snipers on the fantail of a destroyer cut down the three pirates and rescued Phillips, who was not hurt in the several minutes of gunfire. The rescue marked a dramatic blow to the pirates who have preyed on international shipping and hold more than a dozen ships with about 230 foreign sailors.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US Navy rescued Capt. Richard Phillips, an American sea captain held by Somali pirates, in a nighttime assault on Easter Sunday.
  • The operation was personally approved by President Obama and was a victory for the U.S. after a five-day standoff with the pirates.
  • Vice Adm. Bill Gortney made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, saving Phillips' life.
  • The pirates had threatened to kill Phillips if attacked, and negotiations broke down late Saturday when Americans insisted the pirates be arrested and brought to justice.
  • Abdullahi Lami, one of the pirates holding the Greek ship anchored in the Somali town of Gaan, threatened retaliation against the U.S., saying "Every country will be treated the way it treats us."
  • The US Navy's 5th Fleet said Phillips was resting comfortably on a U.S. warship after receiving a medical exam and was unharmed.
  • The rescue ended a five-day ordeal that began when Phillips was taken hostage by pirate who tried to hijack the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama.
  • The pirates are holding about a dozen ships with more than 200 crew members, including 92 Filipinos, according to the Malaysia-based piracy watchdog International Maritime Bureau.
  • The rescue marked a dramatic blow to the pirates, who have transformed one of the world's busiest shipping lanes into one of its most dangerous.

Statistics:

  • 3 Somali pirates were killed in the rescue.
  • 4th pirate surrendered and is in US military custody.
  • Capt. Phillips, 53, was held hostage for five days.
  • The USS Bainbridge, a U.S. destroyer, was the ship that towed the lifeboat where Phillips was held.
  • The rescue took place at 7:19 p.m. local time on Easter Sunday.
  • Phillips received a medical exam on the USS Boxer and was found to be unharmed.
  • The Maersk Alabama, a U.S.-flagged freighter, was carrying food aid bound for Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda when the ordeal began.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
  • President Obama
  • Capt. Richard Phillips
  • Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart
  • The 5th Fleet spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen
  • FBI spokesman John Miller
  • Alison McColl, a spokeswoman for the Phillips family