The danger of delivering food aid in unstable regions or conflict zones was further illustrated by yesterday’s hijacking of a U.S. cargo ship by Somali pirates. The Maersk Alabama was delivering food supplies to East African countries for several aid organizations:
“‘The vessel’s manifest showed it was carrying 401 containers of food aid from USAID, Serving God Ministries, the World Food Program and Catholic Relief’, said John F. Reinhart, president and CEO of Maersk Line Ltd.”
The attack does not seem to have been targeted against American interests specifically, in fact, it is one of an escalating number of pirate attacks that have taken place in the last year in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. These waterways are key transit points for ships traveling from Europe to Africa and Asia through the Suez Canal.
Crew members were able to fight off the pirates forcing them to take one of the Maersk’s captain as the only hostage, in one of the Maersk’s lifeboats. The U.S. Navy ship USS Bainbridge is on the scene, along with FBI negotiators, in an attempt to secure the release of Captain Richard Phillips.
The Maersk Alabama has been sent on its way, with its cargo, but has been rerouted to deliver food aid to Sudan.
