Maersk-Alabama cargo ship captain Richard Phillips (R), stands alongside Lt. Cmdr. David Fowler, executive officer of USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), after U.S. Navy forces rescued Phillips from pirate captivity, off the coast of Somalia, April 12, 2009. Captain Phillips was rescued following a firefight that killed three of the four Somali pirates who had been holding him for five days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa. (UPI Photo/U.S. Navy)Kidnapped US Captain Freed; Snipers Kill 3 Pirates -- Yahoo News/AP
NAIROBI, Kenya – Navy snipers on the fantail of a destroyer cut down three Somali pirates in a lifeboat and rescued an American sea captain in a surprise nighttime assault in choppy seas Easter Sunday, ending a five-day standoff between a team of rogue gunmen and the world's most powerful military.
It was a stunning ending to an Indian Ocean odyssey that began when 53-year-old freighter Capt. Richard Phillips was taken hostage Wednesday by pirates who tried to hijack the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. The Vermont native was held on a tiny lifeboat that began drifting precariously toward Somalia's anarchic, gun-plagued shores.
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More News On Somalia And Somali Pirates
Somali Pirate Standoff Ended With Just Three Shots -- ABC News
U.S. Navy Frees Captain, Kills 3 Somali Pirates -- FOX News
Daring Rescue Saves US Captain From Pirates -- SKY News
U.S. Navy rescues captain, kills Somali pirates -- Reuters
Captain freed from pirates in daring rescue -- Christian Science Monitor
U.S. Weighing Where to Charge Captured Pirate -- FOX News
Relief and a warning after captain's rescue -- CNN
Praise for captain after kidnapping -- Baltimore Sun
We're lucky to be alive, says crew of U.S. cargo ship -- CBC
Deadly End Raises Stakes In Pirate Attacks -- CBS News
Pirates threaten revenge on Americans after rescue -- Yahoo News/AFP
Somali pirates vow revenge on US -- Al Jazeera
Rescue restarts debate over arming vessels -- UPI
US captain's rescue raises stakes in piracy ops -- Yahoo News/AP
Military crackdown hasn't deterred Somali pirates -- AP
Unbalanced warfare not new for US Navy -- AP
Somali pirates release wave of terror with new strategy -- China View
Q+A - Who are the Somali pirates? -- Reuters
FACTBOX: Ships held by Somali pirates -- Reuters
OPINIONS AND COMMENTARIES
Taking Down the Pirates -- Slate
On piracy, U.S. shows the way -- AJC
Kill the Pirates -- Fred C. Iklé, Washington Post
Taking the Fight to Pirates -- Seth Cropsey, Weekly Standard
The Pirates and Us -- Tina Brown, The Daily Beast
American Alive, Pirates Dead. Let's Hope More to Follow -- WSJ editorial
BLOGS
Maersk Alabama crisis ends. Somali piracy goes on -- Westhawk
Great News from Somalia -- In From The Cold
Somalia is Bigger than Piracy Even as Piracy Dominates the News -- Information Dissemination
Somali Pirates Vow Revenge -- Information Dissemination
Captain Richard Phillips Rescued -- Information Dissemination
Navy must fight piracy or die -- New Wars
Like That -- Neptunus Lex
The Guardian: Why the Somali Pirates Are Winning -- War Is Boring