Crew Regains Maersk Alabama, But Captain Is Hostage

While the four pirates were armed with AK-47 assault rifles, the crew was reportedly unarmed. Yet the crew of 20 managed to overpower one pirate, which led the three other pirates onboard to take the captain, Richard Phillips (pictured), as hostage and flee the ship in a lifeboat.

Reports about the incident are confusing. CNN has reported that Captain Phillips has been in touch with his crew by radio and had said he was not hurt, but that detail has not been confirmed.

The crew released the one pirate they had in custody, expecting Phillips to be released as well, but they were apparently double-crossed.

There have been more than 60 pirate attacks this year off of the Somali coast. Sixteen of those ships and more than 200 crewmen remain in pirate hands, with most of them docked a few miles off the Somali coast while ransom negotiations with the ship owners take place.

A United States destroyer, the Bainbridge, is headed to the scene but is not expected to arrive until early Thursday.