Four American hostages killed by Somali pirates during rescue attempt [Updated]

Four Americans, including a couple from Southern California, who were taken hostage by Somali pirates were fatally wounded by their captors while negotiations between the pirates and U.S. military forces were underway in the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.

The four were aboard the vessel Quest, which was captured last week.

"We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest," said Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of Central Command.

[Updated, 6:45 a.m.: The bodies of the four Americans are on board the carrier Enterprise off the Horn of Africa, according to Central Command. The names of the Southern California couple are Scott and Jean Adam, boaters who were based out of Marina Del Rey.]

Four U.S. Navy ships had been shadowing the Quest after it was taken over by the pirates, Mattis said. While negotiations were underway to gain the release of the Americans, U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the Quest. The four Americans had been shot, Mattis said.

Two of the pirates were killed by U.S. forces and 13 captured, Mattis said. After boarding the Quest, military personnel found the bodies of two other pirates. The incident occurred about 1 a.m. EST.

"Despite immediate steps to provide lifesaving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds," according to a statement from Central Command.

The four American victims also included a couple from the Seattle area. [Updated, 7:06 a.m.: Their names were Phyllis Mackay and Bob Riggle.]

RELATED:

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Bodies of Southern California couple killed by pirates now aboard U.S. aircraft carrier

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Comments

[Juanita Learn]

Send in the Marines...let's put a stop to this...These pirates need to put down like the scum that they are...What are we waiting for? When did the criminals get more rights? May God bless their families & may they rest in peace.

[brackenwolfe]

Until we as people decide that it is not okay for others to suffer severe poverty we will have these issues. It is great that they could afford a Yatch but in that area of the world they only seen it as a target of value and could care less how hard the people who owned the vessel worked for it. They placed no value on their lives for they only seen them as a means to their own greed. It is a different culture and different values. I am so afraid that the american's on board felt that they were good people and others from that area of the world would see that and they would suffer no harm. In that area of the world life holds no value. They place more values on things than people. I feel for the families. I feel this is a huge issue that needs to be address by the international community. They have had no legal government in two decades. Pirates cost us in many ways and they should be considered a security threat to any government trying to ship and recieve goods via ships. It will take more than the American military to stop this, it will take a global effort from many nations.

[Cindy]

I don't understand how bombing the coast of Somalia would solve anything. I understand taking out the pirates, that makes more sense. But to cause possible harm to innocents who have nothing to do with these scumbags would make us no better than the pirates. There's never a real answer because although we have a rough prison system, it doesn't stop people from committing crimes everyday. There is no good answer other than avoid the trouble areas. These people knew they were sailing into rough grounds and I can't understand why they did it. But they are off to a better place than the rest of us. Rest in peace, is all I can say.

[michael allen]

1 go to the pirates haven and carpet bomb with pamphlets telling the women and children to get out and for the sons of motherless dogs to stay and fight as men or run with the women like the cowards that they are and; 2 send in the seals and d4 and let them get some payback and; 3 let the world howl

[michael allen]

Sometimes the only way to get the bad guy's attention is by being badder than they are. Right now those Somali cowards think that we are just a toothless tiger and that there is relatively nothing for them to worry about from us. The US in many cases lets the rest of the world push us around and do little in the way of a real response. Please, please, please let this be the time that we go in and kick some ass. Please God.

[pst314]

Kill the pirates wherever they are found, whether at sea or on land. Bomb their places of business. Bomb their homes. If "bystanders" are killed, tell the Somali savages that this is the price of doing business with (or even living near) pirates.

[tinman]

Obama needs to learn from history on how to deal with pirates. Thomas Jefferson started the US Navy to blockade the Tripoli pirates. We should do the same to Somalia. No ground troops, the risk and cost is too high, but we blockade the coast and board anything suspicious.

[pst314]

"Until we as people decide that it is not okay for others to suffer severe poverty we will have these issues."

Brackenwolf, you are a fool. Your socialist fantasies are a failure. If the Somalis don't want to be poor, then they should get off their butts and improve themselves. And they should start by jettisoning their barbaric culture which is incapable of creating prosperity, but all too capable of creating pirates and religious nutjobs.

[VCF]

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing about Somalia that I like but...the pirates actually think their behavior IS payback. They feel the rest of the world is starving them out by overfishing waters off Somalia; they're forced to find other means to feed themselves in a country with no infrastructure, no social services, no government and, of course, no jobs. Move the international fishing borders further out...much further, give them a wide berth and perhaps we'll all benefit.

[Bob]

The incentive for those pirates is food on their table. The pirates, themselves, do not keep the ransom for themselves. They must hand it over to viscious cartels for a paltry wage which would only buy supper for their family. Ship's goods and foreign aid supplies, whatever, ends up with the cartels who sell it in the black market.

[TheBigPicture]

This reminds me of South-Central...

[cammy]

First: My sincere sympathy to the families of the four victims in this matter. Second: Why on earth would seasoned sailors go through an area known by them and the rest of the world to be pirate infested? Further, why if you must go through such dangerous seas leave the limited security of a group of other vessels? This makes absolutely no sense? Does anyone know what this group's reasoning was? It is known that there are already hundreds of hostages being held by these vicious animals. Third and last: Why has the international community put up with these outrages for so long? I know the United Nations is inept, but what about the rest of the world? What will it take to stop these murders and hostage takings? Will someone famous or well connected have to be taken before something is finally done?

[Tom]

Firstly, I must say that as a sailor myself I'm shocked by this story. Very sad indeed but easily avoidable.

Just as shocking as the story however are some of the comments on this forum about bombing and killing everything that moves. I'm from Scotland and I can tell you right now that these trigger itchy views do nothing to help your country's image which is projected to the rest of the world. America is not perceived as being a "weak" nation at all but rather one that is full of its own self importance. Grow up and think about what your saying. You can't just do whatever you want.

[simon]

I fully agree the worlds navy’s need to take a harder stance on pirates, but people (friends in the British navy) have told me they are not always as sympathetic as the press makes out, ie all the pirates left in a boat with not enough fuel or water to make it home (they aren’t killing them, just not giving them the best odds on survival). So 2 Americans are killed by pirates and there are calls to level Somalia, how many innocent people are killed in your own city’s by your own home grown criminals, any big shouts to level all you deprived neighbourhoods.... no I didn’t think so, stop being so pig headed and simply retarded your making your nation look special again.

I have parents sailing around the world and are currently visiting cuba before moving on to the central Americas. I just heard from my sister they are going to double back and come home the long way before they get in to the troubled waters of the red sea. You go to dodgy parts of the world you put up with their problems and the criminals and you take your risks. It’s a great shame about the loss of life and my thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased.

[Skip]

Rest in Peace.

[DENNIS HOLDEN]

You have to be kidding me!!!!!!!!! what have we as a people living here in the USA. Its sad 30 years ago we would have taken 40 lives to defend the 4 that were taken, I must say at my age 63 I am ashamed to say I live in USA. WE need to grow a pair an let this world knwo we are back, slap some people around, The ony one who is getting slapped is US.. this country is not STRONG we are WEAK, its time we stand up and take waht is ours ...........OUR PRIDE