US Captain Phillips Rescued By Navy Seals (Photos)

Posted on April 12, 2009

: Captain Phillips, right, and USS Bainbridge Commander Frank Catellano

Captain Richard Phillip jumped off the ship he was being held hostage on by Somali pirates and swam as the U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of the four pirates. Read more on this story below!

Captain Richard Phillips is safely aboard the U.S.S. Bainbridge and will give a pentagon briefing on his experiences.

The U.S. merchant vessel captain held hostage by Somali pirates has been freed by American special forces in a heroic rescue mission which left three abductors dead, CNN reported on Sunday.

Capt. Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama was freed unharmed by the U.S. Navy Seals off the coast of Africa. Three of the pirates were killed and the fourth was captured.

“His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this is a welcome relief to his family and his crew,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement. “I am also very proud of the efforts of the U.S. military and many other departments and agencies who worked tirelessly to secure Captain Phillips’ safe recovery.”

Phillips, 53, of Vermont, was taken hostage Wednesday, after pirates hijacked the merchant ship. Phillips offered himself as a hostage in trade for his crew.

The slain pirates were killed before they could pull their own triggers, CNN reported, citing a senior U.S. official.

But conflict will most certainly worsen the situation now, and a pirate spokesman gave a statement to the Reuters news agency.

Referring to this morning’s incident and the freeing of several French hostages in another raid which left two pirates dead, the statement said; “The French and Americans will regret starting this killing.”

“We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now,” Hussein, a pirate, told Reuters by satellite phone.

“We cannot know how or whether our friends on the lifeboat died, but this will not stop us from hijacking,” he added.

The violent end of this situation will not likely end piracy in the area.

Former US Navy defence lawyer Charles Swift says the captured pirate should be tried in the United States.

“Both under international law, and under our US code, we have jurisdiction over the crime of piracy when committed against our vessels,” he said.

Thankfully a good ending to this scary situation, especially for the crew and family of Captain Phillips.

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