Famed Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips recounts his April 2009 encounter with Somali pirates and his rescue by U.S. Navy SEALs

Clark, Brian E.

English

DOCS@RWU

Roger Williams UniversityDOCS@RWUFeatured News Story The Week at Roger3-9-2012On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21stCentury Pirate TaleBrian E. ClarkRoger Williams UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_newsPart of the Higher Education CommonsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The Week at Roger at DOCS@RWU. It has been accepted for inclusion in FeaturedNews Story by an authorized administrator of DOCS@RWU. For more information, please contact mwu@rwu.edu.Recommended CitationClark, Brian E., "On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale" (2012). Featured News Story. 19.https://docs.rwu.edu/weekatroger_featured_news/195/9/2018 On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/high-seas-near-horn-africa-21st-century-pirate-tale 1/3Home News News Archive On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate TaleOn the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa,a 21st Century Pirate TaleFamed Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips recounts hisApril 2009 encounter with Somali pirates and his rescue byU.S. Navy SEALsMarch 9, 2012 Brian E. ClarkWhen Bristol’s venerable Herresho  Marine Museum invited Capt. Richard Phillips – a legendary name in maritimehistory following his capture by Somali pirates from the Maersk Alabama in 2009 – to share his story, they knew theywould need a larger event space.For students, faculty and sta  at Roger Williams University, that meant the chance to host the Herresho  Museum and itsdistinguished guest speaker on campus on the evening of Thursday, March 8, 2012. In front of a packed house, Capt.Phillips didn’t disappoint.Chronicling the  ve-day encounter in April 2009, Phillips said that as the Maersk Alabama embarked from Salalah,Oman, en route to Mombasa, Kenya, the crew was fully aware of the risk of pirate attack.“I’ve always told my crew that attack was a matter of when and not if,” he said, “and that the cavalry wasn’t going to rideto the rescue.”While they hoped for the best, they planned for the worst. The worst came quickly.“Picture, if you will, the darkness of that very night,” Phillips said. “And a voice coming over our ship’s radio, soundingvery eerie. Saying Somali pirate, coming to get you. Somali pirate, coming to get you. This is what we heard the nightbefore the incident.”5/9/2018 On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/high-seas-near-horn-africa-21st-century-pirate-tale 2/3The pirates attacked and gained entry to the Maersk Alabama, but everyone on board except Phillips and a few crewmembers had followed protocol and locked themselves in safe rooms. Alone with the pirates, Phillips said that he wasclear about his responsibility – to protect his crew and protect his ship.“For me to leave my ship and get on the boat with the pirates was not an act of surrender,” he said. “It was notsomething I view as an act of heroism. It was my strategy, my action plan and my duty.”What followed was four days on a small lifeboat with four pirates. Not pleasant, as you might imagine. Eventually, theU.S. Navy intervened. With one pirate aboard a Navy ship negotiating, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs opened  re and killedthe three pirates on the lifeboat.“It seemed like it went on for a long time, even though it was probably only one or two seconds,” Phillips said. “Andthen, there was silence. A er days of taunting heat and torture, there was just nothing. Finally, a voice – are you alright?An American voice.”Phillips says the real heroes of the story are those Navy SEALs who risked their lives to save his. Watching them in action– and learning a lot about his own character during the ordeal – le  him with three lessons that he now shares as herecounts his story.“First, you are much stronger than even you realize. Second, the only time that all is lost is when we choose to give up.And third, if we come together as a dedicated, motivated team, we can overcome most any obstacle or solve most anyproblem.”According to Phillips, those lessons can prove useful in many situations.“Whether it’s on the seas that I encounter as captain of a ship or the changing seas of business and economy, we’re allriding an ever-shi ing wave,” he said. “You are better o  to face that with a well-trained, committed crew than all byyourself, alone.”Share This: REQUEST INFO  VISIT CAMPUS  APPLY  MAKE A GIFT5/9/2018 On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale | Roger Williams Universityhttps://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/high-seas-near-horn-africa-21st-century-pirate-tale 3/3Map & DirectionsContact UsDirectoryNewsEventsAthleticsrwu.eduUndergraduate SiteGraduate SiteSchool of LawSchool of Continuing Studies    © 2018 Roger Williams University. All rights reserved.  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On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale

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On the High Seas Near the Horn of Africa, a 21st Century Pirate Tale

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