<p>Lots of local coverage because two were from Seattle. Pirates all killed or captured. </p>
<p>[Somali</a> Pirates Kill 4 Americans On Hijacked Yacht : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/2011/02/22/133961448/somali-pirates-kill-4-americans-on-hijacked-yacht]Somali”>http://www.npr.org/2011/02/22/133961448/somali-pirates-kill-4-americans-on-hijacked-yacht)</p>
<p>Oh. My. God.</p>
<p>I know I am not a mathematician, but if there were nineteen pirates involved,two pirates remains were found on board, two were killed & thirteen arrested, that sound like a couple unaccounted for.
( however a CBS story says fifteen arrested)</p>
<p>Pretty shocking.</p>
<p>I hate hearing stories like this. My sister and BIL and 2 teenagers sailed around the world for 3 years (ended trip about 18 mos ago) and we constantly worried about pirates. Especially the time their boat broke down off the coast of Sudan. It is stories like this that confirm that our fears were not unfounded.</p>
<p>Horrifying & senseless. I truly did not anticipate that would be the outcome.</p>
<p>It’s a terrible story.
But am I the only one astonished that anyone in a small boat still contemplates sailing in those waters when even ginormous cruise ships and oil tankers are under attack there? It’s not like these cases go unreported…</p>
<p>Unfortunately those waters cover a very wide area. It seems quite difficult for anyone using the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden to escape the reach of pirates. </p>
<p>[File:Somalian</a> Piracy Threat Map 2010.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map_2010.png]File:Somalian”>File:Somalian Piracy Threat Map 2010.png - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Also, there have been people who suffered mechanical issues that brought them closer to the pirates.</p>
<p>The vicitms were interviewed about the dangers before they left and had a fairly cavalier attitude about it. You are not on Lake Washington anymore. Pirates do not subscribe to Seattle Nice. Just a needless risk to undertake. The seas are vast. No need to tempt fate.</p>
<p>I do not really understand why people would go sailing there. Then, neither do I understand why people tempt their fate in the Bermuda Triangle or at the Cape Horn. Must be part of the adventure. </p>
<p>My point was that the seized ships have been caught pretty far from the coasts. As far as the fate of the four people, they pretty much were doomed as soon as they’d arrive in Somalia.</p>
<p>[India</a> pushes back on Somali pirates’ new ‘mother ship’ offensive - CSMonitor.com](<a href=“http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2011/0207/India-pushes-back-on-Somali-pirates-new-mother-ship-offensive]India”>India pushes back on Somali pirates' new 'mother ship' offensive - CSMonitor.com)</p>
<p>The pirates have been impacting the livelihood of area fishermen.</p>
<p>[What Somali pirates reveal about the global economy](<a href=“Subscribe to read | Financial Times”>Subscribe to read | Financial Times)</p>
<p>It was not expected that they would kill their hostages-but it also obviously was not a good idea for the Americans to leave their group.</p>
<p>I had the same question about why they would even be there…news this morning says they were with a regatta and for unknown reasons went their separate way.<br>
To me it is similar to the man killed on the jet ski in Texas near the Mexico border. Signs everywhere warning how dangerous it was, lots of news about the area and they couldn’t find another place to jet ski?</p>
<p>I didn’t anticipate this outcome either.</p>
<p>I’m questioning whether the naval forces actually boarded the yacht before they were shot.
I’m not understanding why they would be killed during negotiations, when they still had these hostages as leverage for a ransom.</p>
<p>I agree this is similar to the ski jet couple (Hartleys)…and the hikers on the Iran border, and the reporters on the North Korea border.
It’s not worth such a huge risk.</p>
<p>I assume they’re taking the captured pirates back to the US to stand trial, which I think is ridiculous. Smear them with blood and dump them overboard. Here, sharky sharky…</p>
<p>Why aren’t we blowing pirate ships out of the water?</p>
<p>Not the outcome I was hoping for…</p>
<p>I think Sequoia may be right–the entire story not out yet. But the way they got there is pretty certain–stupidity and/or naivete.</p>
<p>Two pirates were found dead on board. I’m wondering whether maybe a couple of Navy Seals covertly slipped on board, killed these pirates, then were seen/discovered by the other pirates, precipitating shooting the hostages.
Also, the rocket grenade was launched right before the shootings…seemingly without provocation…why? Makes me question the official story.</p>
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</p>
<p>With good lawyers, and with more of them than the US agents, it can be established that they were innocent, and, what’s more will be persecuted if they return. Classify them as victims who were forced into their lifestyles by the Western way of live, and give them a full ride to a top-20 where they can finally flourish…</p>
<p>“Why aren’t we blowing pirate ships out of the water?”</p>
<p>Pretty hard to do if they’ve got hostages on board… and if they don’t how do you distinguish a pirate ship from, say, a fishing vessel? It’s not like they hoist a skull and bones flag. Blow up one wrong ship and the US is once again the rouge policeman of the world.</p>
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</p>
<p>Because we are Americans and our legal system is based on justice and not revenge. It’s what makes us great.</p>
![http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map_2010.png]File:Somalian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map_2010.png%5DFile:Somalian){kind=link}
