Somali Pirates Hijack U.S.-Flagged Container Ship; At Least 20 Americans On Board
April 8th, 2009Via: Reuters:
Somali pirates seized a U.S.-flagged, Danish-owned container ship on Wednesday with at least 20 American crew on board in the latest of a sharp rise in attacks off the Horn of Africa nation, officials said.
Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme, said the 17,000 tonne Maersk Alabama was carrying 21 U.S. sailors when it was hijacked in the Indian Ocean off Mogadishu.
He told Reuters all the crew were believed to be safe.
Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) confirmed that the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama had been attacked by pirates about 500 km (300 miles) off Somalia and had probably been hijacked. It said it had 20 crew on board.
A U.S. naval spokeswoman in Bahrain, Lt. Stephanie Murdock, said a U.S.-flagged, Danish-owned ship with 21 crew reported being attacked by pirates at 7:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday about 280 miles (440 km) southeast of Eyl, Somalia.
She did not give further details.
What a weird bit of synchronicity… My brother-in-law used to pilot that ship and knows some of the crew. Apparently one of the favorite comedies watched on the ship was Team America World Police, lol. Told my sister, “Whoo hoo! Go Team America! One pirate in custody, the rest are “believed to be” “in the water.” Gotta love that. Durka durka jihad fuck yeah!”