Here is the latest directly from Maersk:

Maersk Alabama Situation: 0600 EDT Update

Norfolk, Va., 9 April 2009: The current situation involving the Maersk Alabama has remained much the same throughout the night. The ship’s crewmembers have been accounted for and are safely aboard the vessel. However, the ship’s captain remains in the custody of the pirates, who departed in one of the ship’s encapsulated life boats on April 8.

The U.S. flagged M/V Maersk Alabama has been hijacked by pirates approximately 280 miles (450 kilometers) northeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia. The ship reportedly has 21 U.S. citizens aboard and is the first U.S. flagged vessel to be hijacked by Somali pirates.

Reports indicate that at least 5 ships were captured this weekend alone off the coast of Somalia and in the Indian Ocean. The end of the monsoon season has arrived, and pirates are learning that attacks can still be very successful, further offshore, away from naval patrols and in what was previously thought of as [...]

Well, I know it has been some time since my last post, and I apologize for going from a fairly current blog to one with stale posts, but life got busy.  Things are returning to normal, and I hope to be back into the swing of things here shortly. During my hiatus, a lot has [...]

Yes.  Hard to believe, but true.  In an attempt that clearly demonstrates the boldness of the Somalian pirates, the USNS John Lenthall, a fleet oiler, was forced to fire warning shots to repel suspected pirates.  This clearly emphasized the need for an even greater naval presence in the area to counter the drastic increase in [...]