Maersk Alabama Heading into Port

The Maersk Alabama was heading to its original destination port of Mombasa, Kenya, a day after it was hijacked off Somalia's coast, CNN reported Thursday, quoting the father of one of the 19 crew members still on board.

 

An 18-man armed security detail was on board the 1,100-TEU containership to make sure the vessel and the 19 crew members get there safely, Capt. Joe Murphy said. It is about a 50-hour journey.

 

The 20th crew member, the captain of the Maersk Alabama, Capt. Richard Phillips, was still being held by the four Somali hijackers in one of its lifeboats at sea. FBI negotiators are trying to secure his release.

 

Capt. Phillips "remains hostage but is unharmed," Maersk spokesman Kevin Speers said Thursday morning.

 

"The safe return of the captain is our foremost priority," Speers said.

 

The U.S. Navy called in FBI negotiators to help negotiate his release, according to FBI spokesman Bill Carter.

 

The pirates reneged on their agreement to exchange Phillips for one pirate who had been captured by the crew members, according to the second officer of the ship, Ken Quinn. The pirate was released unharmed, according to Quinn who spoke to CNN on Wednesday via a satellite call.

 

A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Bainbridge, was in position near the lifeboat believed to be carrying Phillips and the pirates. But there has been no official confirmation of the tiny vessel's whereabouts since early Thursday morning.

 

Speaking at a news conference Thursday morning, Speers said the U.S. Navy "is in command of the situation."

 

"We are in regular contact with the Alabama," he said from Maersk Line Ltd.'s headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. "The ship remains at a safe distance as instructed by the Navy.

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