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Somali pirates attempted to seize a Danish-owned, US-operated container ship with 21 American crew members aboard off the Horn of Africa earlier today. The pirates were in for a bit of a surprise though, as this American crew didn't give in so easily! CNN is reporting that the American crew retook the ship and took one pirate hostage as the other pirates fled the ship to a 28 foot lifeboat with the ships captain as hostage! (CNN) -- The crew of a U.S.-flagged container ship has retaken control of the ship from pirates but its captain is being held hostage, the freighter's second officer said Wednesday. Attackers hijacked the Maersk Alabama, shown here, formerly known as the Alva Maersk. Attackers hijacked the Maersk Alabama, shown here, formerly known as the Alva Maersk. "There's four Somali pirates, and they've got our captain," Ken Quinn told CNN in a ship-to-shore phone interview. Capt. Richard Phillips is being held in the Maersk Alabama's 28-foot lifeboat, Quinn said. The crew had a plan to make an exchange for their captain. "We had a pirate we took and kept him for 12 hours," Quinn told CNN. "We tied him up and he was our prisoner." The crew gave back their prisoner but the pirates reneged on the plan and are continuing to hold Phillips captive. "So now we're just trying to offer them whatever we can, food, but it's not working too good," he said. Quinn said the crew is trying to hold off the pirates for three more hours until a coalition warship is expected to arrive. You can read the full story HERE (http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/08/ship.hijacked/index.html)
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