This is the gripping true life story of the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, told by the man who lived it, Captain Phillips. Piracy has been going on for centuries. I myself, have been part of "pirate patrols" in the Indian Ocean as a member of Military Sealift Command in the early 1980's. This book rings absolutely true in all regards. From the daily rituals aboard merchant ships and the life story of the author, this book tells exactly what is like to be apart from loved ones while going through a very traumatic experience.
When Captain Phillips left his family back in Vermont for the East African Run in April of 2009, he had no idea of the events waiting to unfold all about him. In lesss than one weeks time he would be fighting for the life of his crew, as well as his own, off the coast of Somalia.
Taking all precautions against being boarded proved futile. Much was learned from this mis-adventure. Armed guards are now the rule on Merchant Ships operating in waters known to be hostile. Prior to the Maersk Alabama incident, merchant ships were hampered by many politically motivated rules regarding the carrying of arms for self protection. All that was legally available was the time honored method of "repelling boarders" by use of high pressure fire hoses and flares. If you were lucky, the Captain may have had a handgun. Useless when confronted by bandits wielding AK-47's.
After being boarded the Captain uses a variety of ruses he has worked out in advance with his crew in order to maintain control of the vessel. This is crucial if you don't want to be kidnapped. By locking themselves in the Engineering spaces the ships engineers are able to maintain control from the engine room and "aft" steering, located just above the rudder. This convinces the pirates that the ship is inoperable and prevents them from taking the ship into a port.
By convincing the pirates that the ship is not functioning properly, Captain Phillips is able to buy precious time while dealing with the Somalis. At the same time he is struggling to put some sort of plan into action which will result in the pirates leaving the ship.
He devises a plan involving an imaginary warship coming to his aid. At the same time his First Mate has hidden somewhere aboard the ship and the other crew members are playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the hijackers. At one point they capture one of the bandits and then wound another. The Captain is able to convince the remaining two hijackers to exchange himself for the two captured pirates. When the lifeboat is lowered away with the Captain and hijackers aboard, the switch is made, with one exception. They are holding the Captain for ransom.
After 2 days of drifting in an overheated boat beneath a blazing Indian Ocean sun, the American warship USS Bainbridge appears. Captain Phillips attempts an escape and is brutally beaten and tied up as a result. Relief comes when a team of US Navy SEALS take the pirates out with some of the best marksmanship ever seen. Remember, both vessels are bobbing up and down and rolling side to side as the shots are taken.
The book alternates between what is happening in the Indian Ocean to what is happening with Captain Phillips family back in Vermont. His wife Andrea, is the rock that keeps Captain Phillips going. And the same applies for his wife- he is her rock. As much as he is struggling to maintain himself at the hands of pirates, Andrea is experiencing the same type of ordeal with the media. She is literally under siege.
A gripping and exciting read, this book looks behind the headlines and gives us a first person account of what went on aboard the Maersk Alabama in April of 2009. The book reads like an exciting novel, with one big difference. This is as real as it gets.
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