Popular Pirate Prize

To be attacked once is unlucky, twice is perhaps unfortunate…three times? Well judge for yourself as the Maersk Alabama has been targeted yet again by suspected Somali pirates.

This at least the third time pirates have targeted the Alabama, including the famous attack involving Capt. Richard Philips in the spring of 2009.

Official reports state that four suspected pirates approached the ship in a skiff, and a hook ladder could be seen in the boat. When the skiff came within half a nautical mile, the ship’s captain authorised warning shots to be fired.

The pirates continued to approach, and the captain ordered aimed shots, which convinced the skiff to turn around and sail away.

Those shots likely were understood to have been fored by contracted security team on board, something that was added to the Alabama after the 2009 attack.

According to NATO’s counter piracy operation, an attempted pirate attack that matched the event occurred in waters between Kenya and Madagascar. It warned that “a Pirate Attack Group consisting of 1 white skiff with 4 POB [persons on board] with hooks and ladder was reported” and that the pirates were still in the area.