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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hijacked US crew 'retake vessel' | Hijacked US crew 'retake vessel' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The US crew of a ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia has retaken control of the vessel, according to Pentagon sources. | The US crew of a ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia has retaken control of the vessel, according to Pentagon sources. |
| Unnamed US defence officials said one pirate had been captured by the 20-strong crew of the Maersk Alabama, seized earlier in the Indian Ocean. | |
| But the vessel's Danish owners, Maersk, said they could not confirm that the vessel had been retaken. | |
| It was the sixth ship seized off Somalia in recent days. | It was the sixth ship seized off Somalia in recent days. |
| It is reportedly the first time in 200 years that a US-flagged vessel has been seized by pirates. | |
| The Associated Press quoted a defence official as saying: "The crew is back in control of the ship. | The Associated Press quoted a defence official as saying: "The crew is back in control of the ship. |
| "It's reported that one pirate is on board under crew control - the other three were trying to flee." | "It's reported that one pirate is on board under crew control - the other three were trying to flee." |
| Reports suggest the other three pirates jumped overboard. | Reports suggest the other three pirates jumped overboard. |
| Crew 'is safe' | |
| Maersk's chief executive, John Reinhart, said he could not confirm that the ship had been retaken but said contact had been made with the crew. | |
| "We have a crisis centre and we have vessel managers and superintendents that are working with the vessel at all times," he told a news conference. | |
| "We had a cell-phone call from a member of the crew that said the crew is safe." | |
| The ship was attacked by several small boats in the early hours of Wednesday in an incident apparently lasting for about five hours. | The ship was attacked by several small boats in the early hours of Wednesday in an incident apparently lasting for about five hours. |
| Maritime officials said the vessel took all possible evasive action before it reported that the pirates had boarded. | Maritime officials said the vessel took all possible evasive action before it reported that the pirates had boarded. |
| More than 130 pirate attacks were reported in 2008, including almost 50 successful hijacks. | |
| Pirates typically hold the ships and crews until large ransoms are paid by the shipping companies - last year the firms handed over about £80m (£54m). | |
| The huge increase in frequency of attacks has forced several navies to deploy warships in the Gulf of Aden to protect one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. |