Posted on 04/12/2009 2:02:50 PM PDT by GVnana
DEVELOPING:
Capt. Richard Phillips jumped to freedom on Easter Sunday from the lifeboat where four pirates had been holding him captive off the coast of Somalia in a five-day stand off with the U.S. Navy.
Capt. Phillips, who has been described by his crew as a hero for leaving with four pirates in a lifeboat to save his ship, the Maersk Alabama, escaped by jumping overboard.
Before pirates could respond, U.S. forces killed three pirates still on the lifeboat and arrested a fourth pirate.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
NICE SHOOTIN' NAVY!!!
BTTT
He jumped only after being instructed to do so by obama.
And had it not been for this brave individuals initiative they’d be on shore by now free and clear. Way to go Obama. All the power in the world means nothing if not executed.
This seems more likely than anything else. He took action and forced everyones hand
I hear it was Marine Corps frogmen off the USS Bainbridge, in the water for three days waiting, that did in the pirates. Waiting for a confirm on that.
UPDATES: US Navy Press Briefing:
One of the 4 pirates went on board the Bainbridge to negotiate.
The Lifeboat was being towed by the Bainbridge into calmer waters, by agreement, because the sea was getting rough.
The Captain was tied up on board the lifeboat.
The 3 pirates on board the lifeboat were exposing their heads above the lifeboat hatches. At one point, one of the 3 pointed his AK47 at the back of the captain. At that point, the Special Forces snipers on the fantail of the Bainbridge opened fire, and killed the 3 pirates on board the lifeboat.
The US sent a Rib (Rubber boat up to the Lifeboat, boarded, untied the capitain, put a lifesaver on him, put him in the rib, and took him to the Bainbridge.
The Captain was unharmed.
How the pirate on board the Bainbridge got himself stabbed in the hand, has not been mentioned.
Thank God there are still some real men left in this world.
Gosh golly!!!
I love a happy ending!!!
Obviously, when Captain Phillips jumped clear this time, the SEALs had a clear line of fire.
I am overjoyed at this news. Obama still does not get a free pass on this from me. When he doesn’t address a situation such as this, the MSM gives him a free pass. Oh, they say, he’s being so smart by playing it all so close to the vest. Giving, perhaps, time for negotiations to work. It’s all a load of crap. Sounds like Phillips did what he had to do and the SEALS did what they are trained to do. All the while the useless FBI hostage negotiators tried to hold discussions with so-called pirates who hijack and hold hostages at will.
Waaay Cool!
He was stabbed in the hand with an icepick during the pirates’ attack on the Maersk. One of the American mariners stabbed him as he was being lowered into the hold of the ship. He was tied up and offered in exchange for Captain Phillips, but somehow that was foiled by the pirates, and the stabbed pirate made it onto the lifeboat.
Amazing rescue.
sw
Jamac Habeb, a 30-year-old pirate, said that the killing of the three pirates was "a painful experience."
"This is unfortunate action and our friends should have done more to kill the captain before they were killed. This will be a good lesson for us," Habeb told the AP from one of Somalia's piracy hubs, Eyl.
Residents of Harardhere, another port and pirate stronghold, were gathering in the streets after news of the captain's release, saying they fear pirates may now retaliate against some of the 200 hostages they still hold.
"We fear more that any revenge taken by the pirates against foreign nationals could bring more attacks from the foreign navies, perhaps on our villages," Abdullahi Haji Jama
Yeah I saw that. Initial reports are always confused. I decided to post this since it’s an important event and the full story isn’t yet known.
I watched it also and agree with you....sounds as though he did not jump a second time.
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