CNN reported today that a maritime expert said that the U.S. governent’s bungled negotiations with Somali pirates may have led to the deaths of four American hostages on a yacht.
According to the unnamed source, the pirates may have opened fire on their captives after two of them were taken into custody aboard the U.S. warship where they had come aboard for the purposes of negotiating with the Navy. The source added that the pirates on the warship may have given instructions to the Somalis on the yacht to kill the hostages if the two were not released.
Special forces responded to the gunfire and an RPG reportedly thrown at the warship. They discovered all four hostages had been shot when they boarded. They could not be saved despite Navy sailors administering first aid.
Killed were the yacht’s owners Scott and Jean Adam of California and two passengers, Phyllis Mackay and Bob Riggle. All were shot by their captors, according to the Central Command statement.
The yacht was hijacked a few days earlier off the coast of Oman and was heading for Somalia.
The remains of two dead pirates were discovered and 13 other pirates were captured by the Navy.
Category: International Maritime Injury Claims
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