U.S. crew attack on pirates called brave, foolhardy

By Nick Carey

CHICAGO, April 9 (Reuters) - Maritime experts reacting on Thursday to the stirring tale of 20 unarmed U.S. crew members wresting back control of their hijacked freighter from armed pirates off Somalia agreed on one thing: they were lucky.

Some were critical, saying the crew may have disregarded standard procedure and taken a dangerous risk in fighting their attackers. One result: the captain of the 17,000-tonne Maersk Alabama freighter is still a hostage in the pirates' hands.

But others said the crew's decision to confront the pirates was an act of bravery typical of U.S. merchant mariners, who are routinely trained so that in times of war they can form part of the country's defense.

"Merchant mariners are America's unsung heroes," said Barbara Yeninas, a maritime consultant. "They don't aggressively seek trouble, but it is not unusual that they would defend themselves, their flag and their cargo."

Four armed intruders boarded the ship on Wednesday in the pirate-plagued waters off the coast of Somalia. The American crew later gained the upper hand and even captured one pirate before three others escaped in a lifeboat holding the vessel's captain, Richard Phillips, as a hostage.

The crew tried to swap their captive for the captain 12 hours later but instead merely lost the captive.

"The crew saw an opportunity and took it," said Admiral Richard Gurnon, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where Phillips graduated. "I'm really pleased they were able to overpower their assailants."

"Those pirates attacked the wrong ship," he added.