CELEBRATING THE 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS RESCUE: Another Days Work For A Navy Seal
By: Meg Scheibel
"Captain Phillips is safe... and all your friends are dead."
You may have recognized those infamous lines from the film, Captain Phillips, in which case you know that the movie was based off a true story.
Five years ago on April 12, 2009, Captain Richard Phillips was rescued from a band of armed Somali pirates. After spending 4 days as a hostage at sea, it was hard to believe that he was finally safe.
"It really didn't hit me until the second or third night after I was saved," said Phillips. "I'd wake up from sleeping and just be balling."
It all started when a decision to veer off course, led the U.S. Maersk Alabama into quite the predicament. Somali pirates were gaining on their tale. After strong efforts from crew members to deter the advancing speedboats, four Somali pirates, all under the age of 19, boarded the cargo ship. The crew had prepared for a moment such as this but prayed they would never have to see the day. With no weapons aboard the ship, there was not much they could do and they soon found themselves captured, but the pirates could not sustain control. The Somalis fled on a bright orange emergency craft, taking only one hostage, Captain Phillips.
"It's hard to believe that this was the first U.S. ship to be boarded by pirates in what two hundred years?" said Clifton Marshall, someone who finds pirates to be a topic of interest.
The pirates held him for ransom but the U.S. hostage negotiators had a little trick up their sleeve called the Navy Seals. When Seal Team 6 is called in you know something is about to go down.
The Navy had been trailing behind for 3 three days now. After convincing head pirate, Abduwali Muse, to come aboard the Navy ship to "Negotiate", only three pirates and Phillips remained in the emergency boat. The Seals lined the naval ship and took aim waiting for the perfect moment. When all snipers had locked on, simultaneously, they pulled their triggers.
"And then it got quite, deathly quite," said Phillips. "I picked my head up and the guy who was above me was behind me and he had been shot. I could hear him gurgling, and I have been around people who have died, so I know a death rattle when I hear it."
After safely transporting Phillips onto the Navy ship, the Seals picked up their gear and were gone. They did what they had to do and it was all in the past for them. Captain Phillips is grateful to the Navy Seals for everything they've done for him. But how exactly does the captains crew feel about the series of events that took place?
"If they were going to be put in dangerous waters, they should have been provided with better protection," said Brian Beckom, representative for Captain Phillips crew members.
The nine other workers aboard the Maersk Alabama that day have a pending lawsuit against Phillips and the ship's company. Crew members state that Phillips ignored maritime warnings and drew the ship closer to the Somali coast in order to stay on schedule.
Even if Captain Phillips did stray off path, there was always a chance the pirates could still have attacked. But it does make sense that a cargo ship in dangerous waters should have contained a means of protection. Hopefully, ship companies will learn from these events and be able to create a safer environment on the ship and provide more protection for crew members.
But out of this entire mess, one thing is for certain, the Navy Seals sure know how to get stuff done. Captain Phillips will forever remember the day they saved his life.
Details
------------------------------
Who: Captain Richard Phillips
What: Rescue Mission
When: 04/08/2009 - 04/12/2009
Where: Waters of the coast of Somalia; Indian Ocean
Info: http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/captain-phillips.php
By: Meg Scheibel
"Captain Phillips is safe... and all your friends are dead."
You may have recognized those infamous lines from the film, Captain Phillips, in which case you know that the movie was based off a true story.
Five years ago on April 12, 2009, Captain Richard Phillips was rescued from a band of armed Somali pirates. After spending 4 days as a hostage at sea, it was hard to believe that he was finally safe.
"It really didn't hit me until the second or third night after I was saved," said Phillips. "I'd wake up from sleeping and just be balling."
 |
| The MV Mearsk Alabama; notice the orange lifeboat located at the stern (rear). |
"It's hard to believe that this was the first U.S. ship to be boarded by pirates in what two hundred years?" said Clifton Marshall, someone who finds pirates to be a topic of interest.
 |
| The U.S. Navy securing Captain Phillips from the lifeboat. |
The Navy had been trailing behind for 3 three days now. After convincing head pirate, Abduwali Muse, to come aboard the Navy ship to "Negotiate", only three pirates and Phillips remained in the emergency boat. The Seals lined the naval ship and took aim waiting for the perfect moment. When all snipers had locked on, simultaneously, they pulled their triggers.
"And then it got quite, deathly quite," said Phillips. "I picked my head up and the guy who was above me was behind me and he had been shot. I could hear him gurgling, and I have been around people who have died, so I know a death rattle when I hear it."
After safely transporting Phillips onto the Navy ship, the Seals picked up their gear and were gone. They did what they had to do and it was all in the past for them. Captain Phillips is grateful to the Navy Seals for everything they've done for him. But how exactly does the captains crew feel about the series of events that took place?
"If they were going to be put in dangerous waters, they should have been provided with better protection," said Brian Beckom, representative for Captain Phillips crew members.
The nine other workers aboard the Maersk Alabama that day have a pending lawsuit against Phillips and the ship's company. Crew members state that Phillips ignored maritime warnings and drew the ship closer to the Somali coast in order to stay on schedule.
Even if Captain Phillips did stray off path, there was always a chance the pirates could still have attacked. But it does make sense that a cargo ship in dangerous waters should have contained a means of protection. Hopefully, ship companies will learn from these events and be able to create a safer environment on the ship and provide more protection for crew members.
But out of this entire mess, one thing is for certain, the Navy Seals sure know how to get stuff done. Captain Phillips will forever remember the day they saved his life.
Details
------------------------------
Who: Captain Richard Phillips
What: Rescue Mission
When: 04/08/2009 - 04/12/2009
Where: Waters of the coast of Somalia; Indian Ocean
Info: http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/captain-phillips.php
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