U.S. Navy kills pirates - Captain held by Somali pirates freed

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U.S. captain held by Somali pirates freed

39 minutes ago

By Abdi Sheikh and Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - U.S. naval forces rescued cargo ship captain

from captivity at the hands of Somali pirates in a dramatic ending to a

five-day standoff, the U.S. Navy said on Sunday.

The U.S. Navy said was freed unharmed and that naval forces killed

three of four pirates who had held him hostage on a lifeboat after trying to

seize his vessel. It said a fourth pirate was in custody.

" I can tell you that he is free and that he is safe, " Navy Lieutenant Commander

s said.

The U.S. Navy 5th Fleet in Bahrain said the rescue took place at 12:19 p.m. EDT

(1619 GMT).

, captain of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama container ship, had

contacted his family, received a routine medical evaluation, and was resting

comfortably aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer.

" We are all absolutely thrilled to learn that is safe and will be

reunited with his family, " Maersk Line chief executive Reinhart said in a

statement.

, 53, was the first American taken captive by Somali pirate gangs who

have marauded in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean shipping lanes for

years.

Three U.S. warships had been watching the situation.

CAPTAIN, CREW " HEROIC "

U.S. Navy spotters saw on Sunday morning, ship owner Maersk Line said

in a statement.

The Maersk Alabama, a container carrying food aid for Somalians, was attacked

far out in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, but its 20 American crew apparently

fought off the pirates and regained control.

volunteered to go with the pirates in a Maersk Alabama lifeboat in

exchange for the crew, said Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander, U.S. Naval Forces

Central Command.

" The actions of Captain and the civilian mariners of Maersk-Alabama

were heroic. They fought back to regain control of their ship, and Captain

selflessly put his life in the hands of these armed criminals in order

to protect his crew, " he said in a statement.

ph , whose son, Shane, was 's second in command and took over

the Alabama after pirates left with , said in a statement read by CNN,

" Our prayers have been answered on this Easter Sunday. "

" My son and our family will forever be indebted to Capt. for his

bravery. If not for his incredible personal sacrifice, this kidnapping -- an act

of terror -- could have turned out much worse, " said .

" The captain is a hero, " one crew member shouted from the 17,000-ton ship as it

docked in Kenya's Mombasa port under darkness on Saturday. " He saved our lives

by giving himself up. "

LEGAL SYSTEM NEEDED

Experts had expected a quick end to the standoff, but the pirates held out for

both a ransom and safe passage home. Friends told Reuters the gang wanted $2

million.

The saga has thrown world attention on the long-running piracy phenomenon off

Somalia that has hiked shipping insurance costs and disrupted international

trade.

Mwangura, coordinator of Mombasa-based East African Seafarers Assistance

Program, said the rescue appeared to be the work of frogmen and the feat would

change the stakes in future pirate attacks.

" This is a big wake-up to the pirates. It raises the stakes. Now they may be

more violent, like the pirates of old, " he said.

Pirates have generally treated hostages well, sometimes roasting goat meat for

them and even passing phones round so they can call loved-ones. The worst

violence reported has been the occasional beating and no hostages are known to

have been killed by pirates.

The drama underscored a need for new international agreements that would allow

other countries to more effectively protect shipments in Somali waters and try

pirates, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad told U.S. net work ABC's

" This Week. "

The U.S. Justice Department said in a statement it " will be reviewing the

evidence and other issues to determine whether to seek prosecution in the United

States. "

(Additional reporting by and Randall Mikkelsen in Washington, Abdi

Sheikh and Ibrahim Mohamed in Mogadishu, Jack Kimball, Cawthorne and

Abdiaziz Hassan in Nairobi; Editing by Doina Chaicu)