Four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates off East Africa were shot and killed by their captors Monday, marking the first time U.S. citizens have been killed in a wave of pirate attacks plaguing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean for years.
U.S. naval forces, who were trailing the Americans’ captured yacht with four warships, quickly boarded the vessel after hearing the gunfire and tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died of their wounds, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
Two pirates died during the confrontation and 13 were captured and detained, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement from Tampa, FL. The remains of two other pirates who were already dead for some time were also found. The U.S. military didn’t state how those two might have died.
Negotiations had been under way to try to win the release of the two couples on the pirated vessel Quest when the gunfire was heard, the U.S. military said.
Four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates off East Africa were shot and killed by their captors Monday, the U.S. military said, marking the first time U.S. citizens have been killed in a wave of pirate attacks plaguing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean for years.
U.S. naval forces, who were trailing the Americans’ captured yacht with four warships, quickly boarded the vessel after hearing the gunfire and tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died of their wounds, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
Two pirates died during the confrontation and 13 were captured and detained, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement from Tampa, FL. The remains of two other pirates who were already dead for some time were also found. The U.S. military didn’t state how those two might have died.
Negotiations had been under way to try to win the release of the two couples on the pirated vessel Quest when the gunfire was heard, the U.S. military said.
For the complete story, go to http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/piracy.
Typo corrected in this version:
This site and anyone discussing what happened in this incident should hold off on any conclusions about what transpired. The captives MAY have been killed by their captors but there is no way of knowing that with any degree of certainty at this time. They may have been killed by the Navy SEALs who attacked the boat in an ill-advised or botched operation. There is no way of knowing that with any degree of certainty either.
But as a Vietnam veteran who served both in an Airborne infantry company in the US Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade (Unattached) and in the Brigade’s Press Information Office, I can attest that the military is not always forthcoming with the truth. And with the increasing secrecy in all aspects of government we have witnessed in recent years, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, an open and transparent investigation into the incident may or may not be in the cards.
We should all be calling for that kind of investigation: open, thorough and transparent. The lives of other cruisers might some day depend on it.
Sincerely,
Eduardo Cohen
Good point Edwardo:
I have been following most of these events as closely as I can and was glad to see the recent Navy broadcast rescue operations out there on TV.. The operations were handled by green special forces that I am sure can do a great job however they were scared and green given new situations the commander circled and created 10 foot waves forcing the pirates outboards to stall out however the close contact operation left a lot to be desired like checking safety on weapons by the book not by experience if you know what I mean. I think given a few more operations they will run smoother..
As I understand it four quietly Christian people who did nothing more offensive than hand out a few
bibles and talk to people, once again quietly, about Our Lord, were viciously murdered on board
their boat.I’m pretty much Old Testament about these things. Visit the wrath of God on them and
do it now. Line those warships up off the coast of Somalia, put sattelites up off that coast and
watch every movement, put Navy Seal teams and British SAS teams in high speed inflatables
and kill every one of them before they leave Somalia’s beach. I am told they have 30 plus ships
and 600 plus hostages. End this now.. Make them pay in blood and in lives.
The Coast Guard can’t be in all places to provide timely protection from those who would do harm to unarmed vessels and their crew. I for one feel that firearms suitable to defend one’s life and property should be allowed aboard. A boat hook is no match against a thief with an AK47, and they (Pirates) know this.
The real answer is not to arm every cruiser out there. Someone will always be better armed, better trained and more willing to pull a trigger, not to mention the number of accidents that are likely to occur and the increased hassle of entering any foreign port for an arsenal. No, the real answer is to never, ever pay a ransom. By doing so, we’ve created a cottage industry for the pirates. With the paid ransoms they’ve better armed themselves and bought more boats. If there was no money in kidnapping do you really think they would do it?
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-01-09-pirates_N.htm
It has been the longstanding policy of the USA government NOT to pay ransom for its kidnapped citizens, as many European countries do. Many commercial owners pay these ransoms to recover their valuable cargo, which has greatly encouraged the continued piracy and secured the support of the Somali citizenry.
Unfortunately, either the pirates forgot about the American policy or counted on it being changed. Whatever, it certainly didn’t work this time.Or else, we didn’t learn the lessons of successful rescue well enough from the French Navy, The chief pirate’s response has been anger and a vengeful attitude for the loss of his ‘investment’ in money and pirates’ lives.
It is surely time to revisit history and relearn what the Dutch navy did 300 years ago when confronted with similar acts of piracy in this area. They attacked the homeports in full force , destroyed the villages and civilian population, who were supporting the pirates’ activities. Ruthless? Yes. Effective? Yes No more piracy.
Of course, that was to secure the Dutch Merchants’ commercial shipping acitivities, not the lives of 4 American yachties who were enjoying the’ freedom of the international seas’ to circumnavigate in their yacht, as we did 12 years ago on the SAME ROUTE. To not act to eliminate this piracy is to concede this freedom of the seas to pirate control once again. This is human progress?
We need to stop “negotiating” with these pirates, and we need to stop using our military as policemen. Sink the pirates on sight. Do not take them into custody, that only puts them in better conditions than home, hardly a deterrent. There was a time when an attack on Americans would be dealt with swiftly and surely. Unfortunately that time has passed.
The shipping insurance companies who find it cheaper to pay the pirates than arm the ships are simply inviting more of the same. Their “economy” is costing innocent lives and in the long run is no economy at all.
Its sad to hear of such a waste of life. Should I ever get to that region I know that I would be packing, but alas it will be a few more years before I retire. I pray for the slain couples, and their familys, freind and aqaintances. For all will be in shock.
The loss of our fellow cruisers is tragic and unfortunate & my prayers go out to their families. However they chose to leave leave the safety and numbers of a cruiser/race rally they had joined a couple of months prior, while traveling in waters with the highest incidents of piracy in the world. The rally organizers stated that the Quest left the planned route 3 days before they were captured by the pirates, even after being warned of the potential danger. This area of the world is not the USA, and our government can’t protect us in these situations. Your best protection is being smart, and plan the safest offshore route in a convoy or group and be prepared. Yes, the allied nations need to act swift and respond to this act of war. Maybe the shipping companies can even pay for some of the cost of the ammunition.
Sail on,
N. Messer
s/v Lage’ Nom Ai
The captain made a poor routing decision knowing the risks and being responsible for the other souls on board. The results speak for themselves. It was a suicide run.
However, attempting to negotiate with “animals” (pirates) with nothing to lose is stupidity. Its time for an international blockade of these countries and be prepared to blast them a bit further back into the stone age without warning. Sooner or later they will get tired of shelling day and night and decide to play by the rules. There should be a bounty on all pirates and none should ever be taken alive.
Why did we follow with surface ships?
Bait them! mini-subs can follow the yacht, operated by seals dressed as yachties. Sink the pirates’ boats in international waters.
Washington, are u not embarrassed? “Millions for defense, but not one penny for tribute” was the response to the Barbary coast pirates, about 200 years ago.
Wipe out all the pirates with the same regard they show for vessels and crew, none!
in addition to my earlier comment it takes the helicopter a while to get out there I assume they are waiting for cover from the main ship in case of helicopter being targeting by pirates.