Missing Russian Ship Found

The Arctic Sea, a Russian cargo ship which disappeared two weeks ago in the English Channel, has been found off the Cape Verde Islands with all crewmembers safe. Via Fox News:

MOSCOW — DEVELOPING: Russian news agencies quote the defense minister as saying a freighter that went missing nearly three weeks ago has been found near Cape Verde, and its crew is alive.

The reports say Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday that the Arctic Sea was about 300 miles (480 kilometers) from the island nation off West Africa.

Serdyukov reportedly says the ship's 15-man Russian crew was taken aboard a Russian naval vessel.

The reports do not give details on what might have happened to the ship, which was last heard from on July 28. The ship's crew earlier had reported the freighter was raided by masked men, but that the attackers departed before the ship left the Baltic Sea en route to Algeria.

Thank God for the safe return of the sailors onboard. There are no details yet on what actually happened to the ship during the time it was missing, whether it was hijacked by pirates or carrying a covert cargo, so I will update when more is available.

Crews of Two Egyptian Ships Escape After Fighting Pirates

Great news from Somalia where the crews of two Egyptian fishing boats hijacked more than 4 months ago are free after overpowering their captors. Via VOA:

Somali pirate says the kidnapped crews of two Egyptian fishing vessels have won their freedom after attacking their pirate captors.

One of the pirates on board, who called himself Miraa, says the hostages overpowered them with machetes Thursday. He said the Egyptian crews then seized guns from the pirates, killing two of his colleagues.

Shipping officials say the Egyptians are now in control of their ships and are heading home.

The pirates had held the Egyptian crews hostage since mid-April.

The case marks a rare instance of crewmen fighting back against Somali pirates who usually hold their hostages for months seeking large ransom payments.

The ships, the Momtaz-1 and the Samara Ahmed (Shugaa al Mahdi)were hijacked in the Gulf of Aden back in April. Eleven pirates were captured during the escape, and are now under guard onboard the freed ships. It is not yet known into whose custody they will be given.

Thank God for this successful escape! Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of the other ships still in the hands of the pirates.

Buccaneer Released

Good news from Somalia: The Italian tugboat Buccaneer has been released after 4 months of captivity. Via CNN:

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Pirates released an Italian ship four months after they seized it, Italy's foreign minister announced Sunday.

Franco Frattini expressed his "joy at the positive outcome ... relating to the kidnapping of the merchant vessel Buccaneer and for the release" of the crew.

Somali pirates freed the vessel after months of negotiations, the ministry said.

The ministry strongly denied a ransom had been paid, but released no other details about the talks with the pirates.

The Buccaneer has a crew of 16: 10 Italians, 5 Romanians and a Croat, the ministry said. They are expected home in about two days.

The tug was seized in the Gulf of Aden on April 11, Cyrus Mody of the International Maritime Bureau told CNN.

Thank God for this long-awaited deliverance! Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of the other ships and their crews still awaiting freedom from their captors.

Previous:
Second American Ship Attacked, Escapes Capture

Hansa Stavanger Released

More good news from Somalia, where the German cargo ship the Hansa Stavager was released yesterday after 4 months of captivity. This comes just after the release of another long-held ship, the Masindra 7, on Saturday. Via Bloomberg News:

Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- A German-flagged ship and its crew were freed four months after the container vessel was seized by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.

The Hansa Stavanger is being escorted to the Kenyan port of Mombasa by two vessels of the European Union’s anti-piracy force, Daniel Auwermann, a spokesman for the unit’s operational headquarters in Northwood, England, said today by phone. He declined to say whether a ransom was paid.

Ahmed Hassan, a member of the pirate gang that hijacked the vessel, said in an interview that the brigands released the ship yesterday after receiving $2.7 million from the owners, Hamburg- based Leonhardt-Blumberg.

“There were critical disputes over the amount of ransom recently, but we’ve now received our money,” Hassan said late yesterday by phone from the city of Harardhere, central Somalia.

A spokeswoman for Leonhardt-Blumberg who identified herself only by her surname, Reuter, said the company would not comment beyond a statement welcoming the crew’s release.

The Hansa Stavanger, a 21,000 deadweight-ton freighter, was seized on April 4 about 400 miles (645 kilometers) east of Mombasa, in an area where pirates had not previously been active. It was then taken to Somali waters near Harardhere, the company said.

Thank God for the release of these two ships and for the safety of their crews who will now be able to return to their homes and loved ones. Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of the remaining ships held by pirates.

Masindra 7 Released

Good news from Somalia, where the crew of the Masindra 7, held captive for 8 months, has been released unharmed. Via BBC:

Eleven Indonesian sailors have been released by Somali pirates almost eight months after their ship was hijacked.

The crew of the Malaysian tugboat Masindra 7 were captured in mid-December as they sailed to Male, Maldives, an EU spokesman said.

A ransom was paid for the release, a Kenyan-based NGO, Ecoterra International, told AFP news agency.

Thank God that the sailors are all safe after their long ordeal and will be returning home soon. Please continue to pray for the safe release of all those being held by pirates in this dangerous region.

MV Victoria Released

Good news from Somalia, where the German cargo ship the MV Victoria, which was hijacked in May, has been released with all crewmembers safe. Via CNN:

(CNN) -- Somali pirates released a German cargo ship Saturday that they have held since May, the German Foreign Ministry said.

The MV Victoria was able to set sail on its own with all of its crew after being released, a ministry spokesman said.

It was not clear whether a ransom was paid.

Pirates hijacked the vessel May 5 as it was sailing to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 10,000 tons of rice, Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarers' Assistance Program told CNN affiliate network ITN.

All the crew members are Romanian, he said.

Thank God that these crewmembers are now free to resume their lives and return to their homes and loved ones. Please continue to pray for the many other ships and their crews still in the hands of pirates.

Pompei Released by Pirates

Good news from Somalia: the Belgian ship the Pompei has been released along with its 10 crewmembers after more than 2 months of captivity. Via CNN:

(CNN) -- A Belgian ship and its crew captured by Somali pirates two months ago have been released, the Belgium government said Sunday.

The Pompei was hijacked north of the Seychelles on April 18. The crew of 10 was made up of two Belgians, one Dutch, four Croatians and three Filipinos.

No other information was available.

Thank God for this safe conclusion. Please continue praying for the other ships and crews held by pirates in this dangerous region, and for the safety of all the ships that must pass through these waters.

MV Marathon Released, Crewmember Found Dead

The MV Marathon, a Dutch cargo ship hijacked in May, has been released by its Somali captors, but tragically, one of its crewmembers was found dead and another wounded. Via AFP:

THE HAGUE (AFP) — Somali pirates shot dead a Ukrainian sailor during the hijack of a Dutch ship, the Dutch defence ministry said, adding that rescuers discovered the body when the ship was released Tuesday.

The pirates released the MV Marathon, which had been held since May 7 when the crewman was killed. The Dutch navy found the body when a warship met the vessel after it cleared the Somali coast.

Another of the eight crew members was wounded, ministry spokesman Marcel Pullen told AFP.

Pullen said the man was killed when the pirates took the vessel on May 7 in the Gulf of Aden. "The crew are all Ukrainian. They are all exhausted," he said.

The MV Marathon was being escorted to a "safe port" by the Dutch frigate De Zeven Provincien, the spokesman said, refusing to reveal the location.

The Dutch news agency, ANP, said a ransom was dropped to the pirates by helicopter. The ship's owners, Amons and Company, declined to comment. The Dutch foreign ministry said that its principle was never to negotiate with pirates or pay ransoms.

The murdered sailor was identified as Serhiy Vartenkov, a welder on the ship.

May God console Mr. Vartenkov's family and bring healing and comfort to the freed crewmembers and their families.

Indian Ocean Explorer Freed

Good news from Somalia, where pirates have released the yacht Indian Ocean Explorer and its 7 crewmembers after 3 months of captivity. Via Reuters:

MOGADISHU, June 22 (Reuters) - Pirates in Somalia said on Monday they had freed the seven crew members of a captured Seychelles research yacht, the "Indian Ocean Explorer".

The Somali gangs, who have been marauding in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean for several years, still hold 14 boats, with 203 crew members, according to the International Maritime Bureau's latest figures.

They have seized 31 boats so far this year in 143 attacks, compared to 42 in 111 raids throughout last year.

Pirates seized the oceanographic research cruiser at the end of March near the Seychelles' island of Assumption, the second vessel flying the Indian Ocean nation's flag hijacked this year.

"We have released the Seychelles crew, they flew this morning," pirate Hassan told Reuters from Haradheere port.

Another hijacking was prevented this morning when a Portuguese warship answered a distress call from the Maersk Phoenix, a container ship which was under attack by pirates armed with grenade launchers and explosives. Portuguese marines captured eight pirates but then released them after confiscating their weapons.

It is a joy to be able to thank God for the deliverance of the 7 crewmembers of the Indian Ocean Explorer, and it is also good to be able to thank Him for the rescue of the crew of the Phoenix, saving them from months of captivity. Please continue to pray for those still being held hostage, and for the safety of the ships passing through these dangerous waters.

Matthew Maguire Freed in Nigeria

Robin Hughes (left) and Matthew Maguire (right)

British oil worker Matthew Maguire, kidnapped in Nigeria more than nine months ago, was finally released by his captors Friday. The MEND rebels who abducted him along with 27 other oil workers in September 2008 had originally promised to free him on his birthday, June 1, later reneged on that agreement, claiming he chose to stay behind as "an advocate for change." Via The Guardian:

Gordon Brown yesterday officially confirmed the safe release of a British oil worker held hostage in Nigeria for over nine months.

Matthew Maguire, 35, from Birkenhead in Merseyside, was among 27 oil workers taken hostage by militants in the Niger Delta area in September 2008.

The group behind the kidnapping, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), had demanded the release of their leader, Henry Okah, in exchange for the hostages. Okah is currently being held by the Nigerian government on arms trafficking charges.

The group announced Maguire's release through an email, saying he had been handed over to Nigerian officials.

In a statement the prime minister said: "I am pleased to confirm the safe release of Matthew Maguire ... This news comes a great relief to all concerned, and I am glad that, for Mr Maguire and his family and friends, this ordeal is over. I should like to thank all those who have worked so hard on this case. We remain in close contact with the family and I urge the media to respect their privacy at this time."

Ironically, Mr. Maguire had indeed refused to be released earlier this year, but it was to save the life of fellow hostage Robin Hughes, who was dangerously ill and was not likely to survive further captivity. Via The Echo:

Despite missing his family and surviving on little food Mr Maguire begged his captors to free the boat’s ailing captain Robin Hughes, 60, from Dover in Kent.

Mr Hughes had a severe infection in his right foot and ongoing circulation problems.

Mr Maguire, from Birkenhead, feared he may die if he were not freed.

The ex-West Derby comprehensive pupil told press in Nigeria – where he is awaiting a flight home – how he begged the militants to free Mr Hughes who was released in April.

He said: “I was really worried about the captain. He wasn’t well. He wasn’t breathing right. I told the militants if they didn’t release him he would die.

“They didn’t want to release him but the villagers helped as well – they put pressure on the militants saying ‘he needs to go to hospital’ and we got them to release him.”

Mr Hughes’ brother Simon, 48, said his brother was now recovering with his family in Brazil.

He said: “It was such a relief to us Mr Maguire was there and could see how bad he was. The doctors managed to cut out the infection which made all his leg swell. But if it had been left things could have got very bad.

“We’re all just so pleased Mr Maguire is out now. Because it was awful to think Robin was safe and being treated and he was still there.

“We just want to thank him for everything he did.”

Thank God for this answer to prayer, and for this example of selfless sacrifice. May God continue to bless Mr. Maguire and Mr. Hughes and their families.

German Ship Hijacked Off Coast of Oman

A German cargo ship with 9 crewmembers was hijacked Saturday off the coast of Oman, the first time Somali pirates have extended their activities to that region. Via Reuters:

ON BOARD NRP CORTE-REAL, June 12, (Reuters) - Suspected Somali pirates have seized a German-owned cargo ship off the coast of the Gulf Arab state of Oman, the first recorded attack in its territorial waters, NATO alliance staff said on Friday.

The MV Charelle was attacked 60 nautical miles south of Sur on the Omani coast, NATO Lieutenant Commander Alexandre Fernandes said aboard NATO's Portuguese warship Corte-Real, which is on anti-piracy patrol off Somalia.

"The Charelle is now heading southwest towards Somalia," Fernandes said. "This is the first case of armed robbery outside the normal operations area of the pirates."

"They are probably looking for other areas of operations where there are less patrols by warships."

Prayers for the safety of the crew and their swift release.

Interview Tonight About New Book

I have been kindly invited to be the guest tonight at 8 pm on the Grizzly Groundswell show on BlogTalkRadio to talk about my soon-to-be published book, A Pastoral Letter to the Captives and Other Works. I am looking forward to this and hope you will join us!

Thank God for Stupid Pirates!

Eleven pirates were arrested after they attempted to hijack a ship that turned out to be a French warship rather than the defenseless merchant vessel they mistook it for. Via CNN:

(CNN) -- The French Navy said they seized 11 pirates Sunday after they apparently mistook a French military vessel for a commercial ship and made a run at it.

Two pirate assault boats approached the Nivose "at great speed," Capt. Christophe Prazuck said, but a French helicopter intervened before the attackers had time to fire at the French navy ship.

The helicopter fired warning shots, he said.

The pirates, who had a mother ship as well as the two assault boats, are being held for questioning on the Nivose, Prazuck said. The vessels were carrying AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, but the pirates did not fire, he said.

The incident took place about 1,000 km (620 miles) east of Mombasa, Kenya, at 8:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) he added.

In the past three weeks, the Nivose has intercepted 24 suspected pirates as part of a European Union anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, which has become a piracy hotspot.

Over the past year, more than 100 suspected pirates have been picked up, Prazuck said. Of that total, 27 have been released, and more than 70 taken to jail in France, handed to authorities in Somalia or taken to Kenya under an EU agreement with the government in Nairobi.

Two other attacks were thwarted over the weekend; one, however, was successful: the British cargo ship Ariana, with an undisclosed number of crewmembers. Please pray for their safety and the protection of all the other hostages being held captive by pirates in Somalia.

Captain Phillips Calls for Armed Security on Merchant Ships

In testimony Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Captain Richard Phillips, who was held hostage by Somali pirates who tried unsuccessfully to hijack his ship, the Maersk Alabama, last month, said that armed security is essential to protect ships and their crews. Via The Boston Globe:

WASHINGTON - Commercial ships in pirate-infested waters need a small team of well-trained guards - preferably former military - to defend them and deter attacks, the famed captain of the Maersk Alabama told a congressional committee yesterday.

"I don't mean a security guard. I don't mean a mall cop," Richard Phillips told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Instead, the ships need two or three special force members each, backed up by the US government, to take on pirates or scare them off, he said.

Neither the committee members nor Phillips - a 53-year-old Boston native and Vermont resident who became a hero last month after he was held hostage for five days by Somali pirates, then rescued by Navy SEAL snipers who killed three of them - offered a definitive solution to thwarting attacks from increasingly bold pirates.

But Phillips and the chairman of Maersk said that arming ship crews would not solve the problem.

International law makes the idea tricky, said Maersk chairman John P. Clancey, since the vast majority of ports do not allow armed ships to enter. Further, he said, arming merchant sailors "may result in the acquisition of even more lethal weapons and tactics by the pirates," putting crews in greater danger.

And while Phillips said he was open to the idea of a small group of senior, well-trained ship officers having weapons on board, he preferred a government-backed team - as long as the security force answered to the captain.

"I am not comfortable giving up command authority to others," Phillips said. "In the heat of an attack, there can be only one final decision-maker."

In the video above, Capt. Phillips also that increased naval patrols and escorts would help, although the area is so vast that it is impossible to cover every possible venue of attack.

Please pray that our lawmakers will choose a wise course in picking a strategy that will protect our shipping from attack without exposing our merchant seamen to even greater danger.

Previous:
Piracy Archive
Captain Phillips Free!
Captain Attempts Escape But is Recaptured
USS Bainbridge Arrives at Scene of Hijacking
Pirates Seize Ship With American Crew

New Book Coming Soon!

I am pleased to announce the completion of my first book, A Pastoral Letter to the Captives, and other works, an anthology of historical hostage accounts from the late 17th century, the peak of the Barbary Pirate era. It includes a Foreword from our Chaplain, Pastor Ed Boston of Do the Right Thing and co-host of the Pray for the Hostages daily radio show. It will be available in May from Exagorazo Press, the publishing division of the As A Matter of Faith online ministry.

In this book I present letters and reports from the late 1600's, but the parallels to the modern piracy crisis are striking. Here is an excerpt from the Preface:

Imagine the scene: the crew of an unarmed merchant ship looks on in horror as their vessel is approached and boarded by a gang of pirates, guns blazing. The pirates herd their human cargo into smaller boats and head for shore, where the crew members will languish in slavery while they await rescue or ransom or death.

This was a common scene 300 years ago, when the Barbary Pirates ruled the seas, and it is a scene that has changed little in the past three centuries. Where ships once dreaded passing through the Straits of Gibraltar from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, modern mariners now face a similar situation in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, vital waterways for vessels traveling between Asia and Europe and North America.

In the late 1600s, Moroccan King Moulay Ismail oversaw a reign of terror that included the abduction of more than 25,000 Europeans, mostly unarmed merchant seamen, who were then used as slaves to build his new capital city, Meknes. Today's pirates are not necessarily state-sponsored, as were the Barbary Pirates, but are rapidly approaching that status as they funnel money from ransom payments into armed insurgencies in weak states like Somalia.

In this book, we present hostage accounts from the late 17th century, including the story of an arduous escape from Moulay Ismail's brutal captivity. We also see the encouraging letter American preacher Cotton Mather wrote to a group of captured New England seamen, and the joyful sermon he preached to celebrate their release five years later. Although the hostage narratives describe the horror and desperation of this terrible condition, they also speak of the strong faith that enabled the captives to survive their ordeal. It is this hope and faith that we wish to emphasize, particularly the power of prayer to sustain the hostages and to bring them their eventual deliverance.

For more information, check out our Facebook group or visit the blog. We are now taking preorders at the As A Matter of Faith website. While you are there, you can also sign up to be on our mailing list for future announcements. I hope you will check it out soon!

Pirate Attack on Cruise Ship Thwarted

An Italian cruise ship with about 1500 passengers onboard came under pirate attack near the Seychelles Saturday, but the captain and crew were able to defend the vessel. Via CNN:

CNN) -- The captain of an Italian cruise ship foiled an attack by pirates off the coast of Somalia on Saturday by ordering his security crew to fire back, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

Six armed pirates in a speedboat attacked the ship, which had about 1,500 people onboard, ANSA said. They fled after the security crew fired back.

The cruise ship Melody, which is owned by an Italian company, was on its way back to Italy after a cruise, ANSA said.

No one was injured in the attack about 180 miles north of the Seychelles.

Thank God for His protecting hand over this ship and it's passengers and crew! Please continue to pray for the safety of the ships which must pass through this vital waterway, and for the many hostages being held captive in this region.

Sea Horse Released

Good news, as a cargo ship carrying food to Somalia that was hijacked last week has been released. Via CNN:

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Somali pirates have released a Togo-flagged vessel that was seized last week, the World Food Programme said Monday.

Pirates on four skiffs seized the 5,000-ton MV Sea Horse on Tuesday.

"We hear from the operators of the ship that it was released on Friday," said Peter Smerdon, spokesman for the World Food Program in Nairobi.

The ship was not under U.N. charter at the time of the hijacking. But it was on its way to Mumbai, India, to inaugurate a new route for the organization to deliver food from India to Mogadishu, Somalia, Smerdon said.

Piracy is rampant in the Gulf of Aden off the coasts of Somalia and Kenya with vessels seized regularly and often released only after a large ransom is paid.

Thank God for this good news! Over the weekend, a Canadian warship helped thwart an attack on a Norwegian tanker, and the Dutch navy arrested 7 pirates and freed 20 Yemeni fishermen who had been held captive. Unfortunately a Belgian ship, the Pompei, was hijacked on Saturday in the Seychelles.

Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of all the hijacked ships and their crews, and for continued success in thwarting the pirate attacks.

Second American Ship Attacked, Escapes Capture

Just days after the Somali pirates vowed revenge for the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in which three of their fellow terrorists were killed, a second American cargo ship carrying food supplies to Kenya was attacked. Via CNN:

CNN) -- The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship bound for Mombasa, Kenya, was attacked Tuesday night by Somali pirates, according to the company and senior U.S. military officials.
Pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to board.

"The pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the vessel, which sustained damage," said a statement from New York-based Liberty Maritime Corporation, which owns the vessel.

The ship is carrying U.S. food aid for African nations, the statement said. About 20 U.S. citizens are aboard the Liberty Sun, delivering humanitarian supplies from the U.N. World Food Programme, CARE and other groups, two senior defense officials told CNN.

The pirates never made it onto the ship and the vessel is now being escorted by a coalition ship, still bound for Mombasa, officials said.

Two senior defense officials said the Liberty Sun was being escorted by the guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge. It is the ship carrying Richard Phillips, the captain of the container ship Maersk Alabama, which was hijacked last week. Phillips spent days as a hostage of the pirates before being rescued Sunday.

Thankfully this attack was thwarted by the nearby presence of the Bainbridge. Four other ships were hijacked yesterday: the MV Irene, with 23 crewmembers, the MV Sea Horse, and 2 Egyptian fishing boats with a total of 24 crewmembers. The Italian tugboat the Buccaneer, with 16 crewmembers, was hijacked Saturday.

Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of these kidnapped crewmembers, and for the safety of all those who sail in this dangerous part of the world.

Captain Phillips Free!

Wonderful news! Captain Richard Phillips has been rescued unharmed, and three of the four pirates who held him hostage for 5 days are dead. Via CNN:

The official said Capt. Richard Phillips is uninjured and in good condition, and that three of the four pirates were killed. The fourth pirate is in custody. Phillips was taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, a nearby naval warship.

Earlier Sunday afternoon Maersk Line Limited, owner of the Maersk Alabama, said the U.S. Navy informed the company that it had sighted Phillips in a lifeboat where pirates are holding him hostage off the coast of Somalia.

Phillips was spotted another time earlier in the day, the Navy said.

On Saturday, the FBI launched a criminal investigation into the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship by Somali pirates, two law enforcement officials told CNN. The probe will be led by the FBI's New York field office, which is responsible for looking into cases involving U.S. citizens in the African region, the officials said.

Prayers of thanksgiving for this successful rescue. Please continue to pray for the protection and rescue of the remaining hostages in Somalia and around the world.

Previous:
Captain Attempts Escape But is Recaptured
USS Bainbridge Arrives at Scene of Hijacking
Pirates Seize Ship With American Crew

One Hostage Dies During French Rescue Operation (Updated: Victim Identified)

Update: Killed Hostage Identified as Florent Lemacon



One hostage and two pirates were killed during a rescue operation mounted by the French military on the hijacked yacht the Tanit. Via Times Online:

French special forces released four hostages today in a rescue operation on a French yacht off Somalia but one hostage was killed, President Sarkozy’s office said.

Two pirates were also killed and three captured as commandos swooped to release two couples and a three-year-old boy whose sailing boat, Tanit, was seized on April 4. There was no immediate word on which hostage had been killed, though it was confirmed that the boy, Colin Lemaçon, was unharmed.

The surviving hostages were in good health after the rescue, which was at least the fourth assault by French forces on pirates operating from Somalia in the past year. Thirty two French hostages have been released from the hands of pirates and, until yesterday, none were killed.

Mr Sarkozy ordered the assault after the pirates refused to accept proposals from French warships shadowing Tanit and tried to sail towards the coast, the Elysée Palace said.

“During the operation a hostage sadly died,” it said. “The President confirms France’s determination not to give into blackmail and to defeat the pirates.”

This tragic outcome highlights the danger the hostages we are praying for are in, and why governments are reluctant to attempt rescue operations, preferring to pay ransoms and buy a happy ending. As we mourn the loss of this hostage, please continue to pray for the protection of the other victims of kidnappings and hijackings, and for wisdom and strength for the government leaders who must make difficult decisions.