The Maersk Alabama brought the growing scourge of high seas piracy up close and personal. Did you follow the story? Here’s a recap:
Very early Wednesday:
- Four armed pirates board the Alabama in the Indian Ocean & attempt to take over. A distress call goes out. Captain Richard Phillips is held at gunpoint. The crew disable the ship, capture one pirate, and hide in the 130 degree engine room for 12 hours.
- Finally a deal is negotiated: the captain will surrender himself to the 4 pirates if they let the crew and ship go free.
Wednesday evening:
- The 4 pirates take the captain hostage and leave with food and water in the ship’s powered lifeboat.
- After some number of hours, the lifeboat runs out of fuel and is dead in the water.
- Using their satellite phones, the pirates call for help from their fellow pirates.
Thursday:
- A US Navy warship arrives on the scene.
- FBI officials negotiate with the pirates via their satellite phones.
- Captain Phillips jumps overboard in a daring escape attempt, but is recaptured amid gunfire.
- The pirates fire on the US sailors and warn they’ll kill the captain if any attempt is made to rescue him.
Friday:
- 3 other pirated ships attempt to “rescue” the 4 pirates and the captain in the disabled lifeboat. The original crews of these ships (still being held hostage) are used as human shields.
- Additional US Navy warships intercept these pirated ships and prevent them from reaching the lifeboat.
Saturday:
- The pirates are becoming increasingly agitated. Negotiations break down.
Early Sunday morning:
- One of the pirates levels an AK-47 at the captain’s back. Fearing he is in imminent danger, the order is given and Navy snipers fatally shoot the pirates.
- Navy personnel rescue the captain. He is unharmed.
It’s a great story, and undoubtedly Hollywood is already making it into a movie. But… is it just me or is there a striking parallel in this story?
– Evil and malice attack.
– A crew is taken hostage.
– Wickedness prevails.
– The captain surrenders himself to free his crew.
– All looks lost for the captain.
– On Easter Sunday morning the captors are destroyed and the captain has his life back.
– The crew is ecstatic.
Think about it!