A US ship captain by the name of Richard Phillips was captured by Somali pirates and was held on a small vessel. The pirates captured him because they were holding him because they wanted to be paid a ransom by Maersk Corporation who wer the owners of the ship. The pirates were threatening to kill Phillips so because it was a US owned vessel, President Obama authorized a rescue operation that allowed US Seals to attempt a rescue of Captain Phillips. The mission was successful and Captain Phillips was rescued by the Navy Seals but three of the pirates were killed.
How Somalia’s Fishermen Became Pirates
The pirates who operate off the coast of Somalia are usually young Somali men who do not have jobs and are very poor. These men in order to make money have started robbing ships. The reason why this is happening is because over the past few years the country of Somalia has been involved in a civil war that has caused the breakdown of good government laws and security systems that should stop this from happening. The young men who are now pirates usually became fishermen because the live on the coast of Somali, but now they think that it is better to rob these ships so that they can become richer faster.
Ship’s U.S. Crew Endures Pirate Encounter Off Somali Coast, Captain Held Hostage
The coast of Somalia is very dangerous for commercial vessels. A US ship the Maersk Alabama was boarded by pirates and the pirates tried to hold the entire crew captive. However, the crew was able to escape when its Captain agreed to captured by the pirates. This ship was the sixth ship that was attacked by pirates in a short period of time and some of the ship owners are now paying the ransoms demanded by the pirates so that the pirates will agree to release the ships and the crews on board the ships.
Somali pirates: Better to pay ransom, or stand on principle?
I believe that it is better to pay the ransom. I believe