Somali Pirates Continue Attacks Against American Vessels
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2009 – Somali pirates fired on a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel south of the Gulf of Aden today, military officials reported.
Pirates attacked the motor vessel Liberty Sun with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The crew put out a distress call received by the U.S. Coast Guard.
“The pirates were not successful in their attempt to board the vessel,” said Navy Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain. “The USS Bainbridge, [which] was in the general vicinity, responded to ensure Liberty Sun wasn’t in peril.” The pirates had fled by the time the Bainbridge arrived.
The USS Bainbridge was involved in the rescue of Merchant Marine Capt. Richard Phillips, the master of the Maersk-Alabama, hijacked by pirates April 8. Pirates had been holding Phillips captive aboard a lifeboat.
When the Bainbridge arrived, the crew ascertained the Liberty Sun was safe and transferred a security detail aboard the merchant vessel, a Defense Department public affairs spokesman said. About 20 U.S. citizens make up the Liberty Sun’s crew. The ship is carrying food aid from World Food, CARE, World Vision and the Agricultural Cooperative Development International.
The Liberty Sun will continue to its original destination of Mombasa, Kenya, the spokesman said. The Bainbridge mission to the Liberty Sun will delay Phillips’ return to the United States. He was to join his crew in Mombasa for their flight to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., the spokesman explained, but now will travel separately.
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Is it just me or is all this just sort of Stupidity. I mean can these companies really be so unfair to their crews, especially the Americans. These Men should all be armed, unless they personally object, but they should have the God or if you prefer the Natural right of self defense which is guarrented by the constitution of The United States of America. I mean these pirates are taking these ships and crews hostage, all because "somebody has decided it cannot trust full grown men to do the right thing. I am really just dumbfounded by all this, Maybe the companies are just setting this country up to taken over by the"WORLD GOVERMENT". YOU CAN"T FIX STUPID.
the_car_man