Insider Account of the M/V Maersk Alabama

Last week, the nation was captivated by the unfolding story of the M/V Maersk Alabama and the Somali pirates that held the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, hostage until the U.S. Navy took action four days later. It sounds like something straight out of a movie (come on: distant lands, pirates,...

By Jose D. Duran

April 16, 2009

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Last week, the nation was captivated by the unfolding story of the M/V Maersk Alabama and the Somali pirates that held the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, hostage until the U.S. Navy took action four days later. It sounds like something straight out of a movie (come on: distant lands, pirates, covert military operations), but it was very much real life.

Runnin' Scared, the news blog over at our sister paper, Village Voice, has obtained an emailed account of events. It offers new information of the saga between the crew and the pirates the day the boat was seized. Check it out, because it definitely adds to the incredible nature of the story.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Jose D. Duran has been the associate web editor of Miami New Times since 2008. He's the voice and strategist behind the publication's eyebrow-raising Facebook and Twitter feeds. He has also been reporting on Miami's music, entertainment, and cultural scenes since 2006, previously through sites such as MiamiNights.com and OnBeat.com. He earned his BS in journalism with a minor in art history from the University of Florida. He's a South Florida native and will be a Miami resident as long as climate change permits and the temperature doesn't drop below 60 degrees.

Contact: Jose D. Duran

Follow:

Twitter: @jose_d_duran