Family Life

04.13.09 | FL News Team

Somali pirates say they will avenge the killing of fellow pirates by the American and French navies. Early Sunday, U.S. Navy special forces killed three pirates holding an American cargo ship captain hostage. Last week, the French navy killed two pirates and captured three others who had seized a yacht that French citizens were sailing.

A pirate who identified himself only as Hussein said, "The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing." U.S. Navy SEALs rescued Captain Richard Phillips, who was being held hostage in a lifeboat off the coast of Somalia. The SEALs killed the pirates after they were seen pointing assault weapons at Phillips. When he was rescued, he was found tied up in the lifeboat but is now said to be in good condition on board the USS Boxer. 

Meanwhile, the USS Bainbridge has in tow the lifeboat the pirates had seized when they hijacked Phillips' container ship, the Maersk Alabama. According to a U.S. military official, the pirates fired on Navy personnel when they attempted to approach the lifeboat earlier during the hostage drama. One of the pirates surrendered to the Navy and is in U.S. custody. He may be put on trial in the U.S. or Kenya.

Meanwhile, President Obama -- who gave the order to kill the pirates if they endangered Phillips' life -- called the captain of the Bainbridge to congratulate him on the successful rescue operation. Mr. Obama also spoke with Phillips.