Richard Phillips

Richard Phillips (born May 16, 1955) is an American merchant mariner and author who
served as captain of the MV Maersk Alabama during its hijacking by Somali pirates in April
2009.[1]

Early life and education

Of Irish descent, Phillips was born in Massachusetts, [2] and graduated from Winchester High
School in 1973.[3] Phillips enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and planned to
study international law but transferred to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, from which
he graduated in 1979.[4] During his schooling, Phillips worked as a taxi driver in Boston.[5]

Career
Maersk Alabama hijacking
On April 6, 2009, the U.S. Maritime Administration, following NATO advisories, released a
Somalia Gulf of Aden "advisory to mariners" recommending ships to stay at least
600 nautical miles (1,100 km; 690 mi) off Somalia's coast of east Africa. With these
advisories in effect, on April 8, 2009, four Somali pirates boarded the Maersk Alabama when
it was located around 240 nmi (440 km) southeast of the Somalian port city of Eyl.[6] With a
crew of 20, the ship had departed from Salalah, Oman en route to Mombasa, Kenya. The ship
was carrying 17,000 metric tons of cargo, of which 5,000 metric tons were relief supplies
bound for Kenya, Somalia, and Uganda. "In that area of the world, any blip on your radar is
of concern," said Phillips, "I always told my crew it was a matter of when, not if." [7][8][9]

According to Chief Engineer Mike Perry, the crew sank the pirate speedboat shortly after the
boarding by continuously swinging the rudder of the Maersk Alabama, thus swamping the
smaller boat.[10] As the pirates were boarding the ship, the crew members locked themselves in
the engine room.[11] The crew later overpowered one of the pirates. [11] The crew attempted to
exchange the captured pirate, whom they had kept tied up for twelve hours, [12] for Phillips.
According to a crew member, Phillips and the pirates got into the ship's rescue boat, but it
would not start, so the crew dropped a lifeboat and met the pirates to switch prisoners and
boats.[10] The captured pirate was released, but the pirates left with Phillips[13] in the lifeboat
before the crew could take action. The lifeboat was carrying ten days of food rations, water,
and basic survival supplies.[13]
On April 8, the destroyer USS Bainbridge and the frigate USS Halyburton were dispatched to
the Gulf of Aden in response to the hostage situation, and reached Maersk Alabama early on
April 9.[14] Maersk Alabama then departed from the area with an armed escort, towards its
original destination of the port of Mombasa. On Saturday, April 11, Maersk Alabama arrived
in Mombasa, still under U.S. military escort. Captain Larry Aasheim then assumed command.
Aasheim had previously been captain of the Maersk Alabama until Richard Phillips relieved
him eight days prior to the pirate attack. An 18-man marine security team was on
board.[14] The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation secured the ship as a crime scene.[15]

On April 9, a standoff began between the Bainbridge and the pirates in the Maersk
Alabama lifeboat, where they continued to hold Phillips hostage. [16][17] Three days later, on
Sunday, April 12, U.S. Navy marksmen from DEVGRU (commonly known as SEAL Team
Six) opened fire and killed the three pirates on the lifeboat, and Phillips was
rescued.[18][19] The Bainbridge captain Commander Frank Castellano ordered the action after
determining that Phillips' life was in immediate danger, based on reports that a pirate was
pointing an AK-47 automatic rifle at his back.[20][21][22] Navy
SEAL snipers on Bainbridge's fantail opened fire, killing the three pirates with bullets to the
head;[23] one of the pirates was named Ali Aden Elmi, another's last name was Hamac, and the
third remains unidentified.[24] A fourth pirate, Abduwali Muse, aboard the Bainbridge and
speaking with military negotiators while being treated for an injury sustained in the takeover
of Maersk Alabama, surrendered and was taken into custody.[18][19] He later pleaded guilty to
hijacking, kidnapping and hostage-taking charges and was sentenced to over 33 years in
federal prison.

1. Who is the famous person in the text?

2. Where was he born?
3. When was he born?
4. Where did he study?
5. What was his job?
6. What is the name of the ship?
7. How many ship crews were there?
8. What did the ship carry?
9. Where did the ship bound to?
10. What happened to the ship in Somalia Coast?
11. How many Somali’s pirates were there?
12. What did the pirates do to the captain of the ship?
13. What did the ship’s crew do to help their captain?
14. Who helped the captain relieve from the hostage?
15. What were the name of the pirates who were arrested?
16. What is the name of the ship?
17. Who did help rescuing the ship from hijacking?