MV Tygra (formerly MV Maersk Alabama ) is a container ship currently operated by the Waterman Steamship Corporation and owned by Element Shipmanagement SA of Piraeus , Greece. She was previously owned by the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group and operated by Maersk Line and Maersk Line Limited.
86-423: It had a light-blue hull and a beige superstructure like all Maersk vessels, regardless of their flag of registry. It was hijacked by pirates near Somalia in 2009 and its crew held hostage. Four additional unsuccessful hijacking attempts were made in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Alva Maersk was built by China Shipbuilding Corporation , Keelung , Taiwan at yard number 676 and launched in 1998. As Alva Maersk , It
172-856: A Bafta award for Best Supporting Actor . Captain Phillips grossed $ 107.1 million in North America and $ 111.7 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $ 218.8 million, against its budget of $ 55 million. The owners of Maersk Alabama donated the bullet-marked 5-ton fiberglass lifeboat upon which the pirates held Captain Phillips hostage to the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida , in August 2009. The lifeboat had recently been on loan to National Geographic for its "Real Pirates" exhibition at
258-590: A federal courtroom in New York City that included piracy, conspiracy to seize a ship by force, and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking. Muse's lawyers asked that he be tried as a juvenile, alleging that he was either 15 or 16 years old at the time of the hostage-taking, but the court ruled that Muse was not a juvenile and would be tried as an adult. He later admitted that he was 18 years old, and pleaded guilty to hijacking, kidnapping, and hostage-taking charges in lieu of piracy charges. He received
344-429: A film based on the hijacking and Phillips' book. It was scripted by Billy Ray , and produced by the team behind The Social Network . The film, titled Captain Phillips , was released on October 11, 2013 and had its premiere showing at the 2013 New York Film Festival . It was praised for its direction, screenplay, production values, cinematography, and for the performances of Hanks and Abdi, with Abdi winning
430-468: A general lack of infrastructure. Poverty, lack of sanitation, and unemployment continue to be the greatest issues for the Mikindani Township, which have ensured low health and safety standards for its residents. Poor, lower class housing is widespread, ranging from simple stone, two-storey structures to mud and earth homes fitted with corrugated iron roofs. Much of the community works outside of
516-933: A plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour based around the ivory trade. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks. Its key exports then were ivory, millet , sesamum and coconuts . Today, Mombasa is a tourism-based town, home to one of the state houses , with an extra-large port and an international airport . Sultan of Mombasa Before 1300 [REDACTED] Kilwa Sultanate 1300–1513 [REDACTED] Portuguese Empire 1593–1698 [REDACTED] Imamate of Oman 1698–1728 [REDACTED] Portuguese Empire 1728–1729 [REDACTED] Imamate of Oman 1729–1824 [REDACTED] British Empire 1824–1826 [REDACTED] Sultanate of Muscat and Oman 1826–1887 [REDACTED] British East Africa / Kenya 1887–1963 [REDACTED] Kenya 1963–present The founding of Mombasa
602-484: A prison sentence of 33 years and 9 months. In 2009, 11 of the 20 former crew members of the Maersk Alabama sued the ship's owner, Maersk Line Limited, and operator, Waterman Steamship Corporation, for allegedly knowingly and intentionally sending the ship into pirate-infested waters near Somalia. Despite warnings to stay at least 600 miles away from the coast due to pirate activity, Phillips had moved
688-529: A prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer al-Idrisi mentions it in 1151. The oldest stone mosque in Mombasa, Mnara, was built c. 1300. The Mandhry Mosque, built in 1570, has a minaret that contains a regionally specific ogee arch. This suggests that Swahili architecture was an indigenous African product rather than being adopted from non-African Muslims who brought stone architecture to
774-407: A toilet or ventilation. Bainbridge was equipped with a ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle and rigid-hulled inflatable boats . Both vessels stayed several hundred yards away, out of the pirates' range of fire. A P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft secured aerial footage and reconnaissance. Radio communication between the two ships was established. Four foreign vessels held by pirates headed towards
860-539: Is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean . It was the first capital of British East Africa , before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County . The town is known as "the white and blue city" in Kenya. It is the country's oldest ( c. 900 A.D.) and second-largest city after Nairobi, with a population of about 1,208,333 people according to
946-401: Is a place of great traffic and has a good harbour in which there are always moored small craft of many kinds and also great ships, both of which are bound from Sofala and others which come from Cambay and Melinde and others which sail to the island of Zanzibar ." Vasco da Gama was the first known European to visit Mombasa, receiving a chilly reception in 1498. Two years later, the town
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#17327918074071032-690: Is also home to one of the largest open-air markets in the African Great Lakes. Bamburi is an outlying township (fifteen minutes drive) along the Malindi road. It is home to Bamburi Cement factory, the largest cement plant in the East African region. Other notable features in the area are the Jomo Kenyatta public beach, commonly known as Pirates, and Haller Park , a nature trail and wildlife conservatory. Kiembeni Estate, also in
1118-564: Is associated with two rulers: Mwana Mkisi and Shehe Mvita. According to legend, Mwana Mkisi is the original ancestor of Mombasa's oldest lineages within Thenashara Taifa (or Twelve Nations). Families associated with the Twelve Nations are still considered the original inhabitants of the city. Mwana Mkisi was a queen from the pre-Islamic era, who founded Kongowea, the original urban settlement on Mombasa Island. Significantly,
1204-608: Is derived from the Arabic words "Qadru r-Rahman" meaning "Decree of (God) the Merciful". Ganjoni : Primarily a middle class residential area, home of second biggest dry dock of Africa after the one in South Africa. Tudor : Another middle class residential area with homes and shops. The Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) is situated in this neighbourhood. Nyali , also considered a prime and up-market residential area, it
1290-459: Is in Baghani. Englani: Part of Old town between Kibokoni and Makadara. Kuze: Part of Old Town with Swahili culture and architecture. Originally flourishing with Swahili people but becoming a more cosmopolitan neighbourhood. Makadara : Part of Old Town consisting of a high number of descendants of Baluchi former soldiers who settled within this area before it developed into a town. The name
1376-494: Is on the mainland north of the island and is linked by the New Nyali Bridge . It has numerous beach front hotels in the area known as the "North Coast". Nyali has two distinct sections – the upmarket Old Nyali and the upcoming New Nyali. For many residents, Nyali has now become a self-contained residential area, with two Nakumatts , a multiplex cinema, shopping malls, banks, schools and post offices. This often eliminates
1462-682: Is separated from the mainland by two creeks : Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour . It is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge , to the south by the Likoni Ferry , and to the west by the Makupa Causeway , alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway . The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport located in
1548-478: The Bainbridge to negotiate a deal. Captain Phillips was rescued uninjured. Commander Castellano, with prior authorization from higher authority, ordered the action after determining Phillips' life was in immediate danger, citing reports that a pirate was pointing a rifle at Phillips' back. $ 30,000 in cash from the Maersk Alabama that the pirates had stowed in the lifeboat was not found. The NCIS and
1634-410: The Maersk Alabama fired warning shots and turned the suspects away. At midnight on 14 May 2011, while transiting westbound in the internationally recognized corridor, Maersk Alabama was approached by a skiff of five pirates on the starboard stern. After turning to follow the ship's wake, the skiff quickly closed in to 30 metres (98 ft), preparing to board via a hook ladder, at which point
1720-964: The Nauticus marine science museum in Norfolk, Virginia . The producers of the Captain Phillips film visited the Museum while re-creating the lifeboat and interiors for the set. An example of the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle used to monitor the crisis is also on display. The actual ScanEagle used in the mission is on display along with shell casings at the Museum of Flight in Seattle . Mombasa, Kenya Mombasa ( / m ɒ m ˈ b æ s ə / mom- BASS -ə ; also US : /- ˈ b ɑː s ə / - BAH -sə )
1806-584: The Second Barbary War in 1815, although other incidents are believed to have occurred until at least 1822 . It was the sixth vessel in a week to be attacked by pirates, who had previously extorted ransoms of tens of millions of dollars. At the time of the hijacking, Maersk Alabama was owned by the Danish shipping company Maersk Line . The ship has since been acquired by Element Shipmanagement SA and has been renamed MV Tygra . As of 2024 ,
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#17327918074071892-497: The Swahili people . Shehe Mvitaff superseded the dynasty of Mwana Mkisi and established the first permanent stone mosque on Mombasa Island. Mombasa's oldest extant stone mosque, Mnara, was built c. 1300. Shehe Mvita is remembered as a Muslim of great learning and so is connected more directly with the present ideals of Swahili culture that people identify with Mombasa. The ancient history associated with Mwana Mkisi and Shehe Mvita and
1978-559: The capture of Fort Jesus in 1698, the town came under the influence of the Imamate of Oman , subordinate to the Omani rulers on the island of Unguja , prompting regular local rebellions. Oman appointed three consecutive Governors (Wali in Arabic, Liwali in Swahili ): Mombasa was briefly returned to Portuguese rule by captain-major Álvaro Caetano de Melo Castro (12 March 1728 – 21 September 1729), then four new Omani Liwali until 1746, when
2064-525: The publishing and film industries in the spring of 2009. American publisher Hyperion Books optioned the rights for Phillips' memoir in May 2009. On April 6, 2010, A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea , was released. Columbia Pictures acquired the film rights in May 2009 also. In March 2011, it was announced Tom Hanks would star as Phillips, Barkhad Abdi as Abduwali Muse , and Faysal Ahmed as Nour Najee in
2150-560: The 2019 census. Mombasa's location on the Indian Ocean made it a historical trading centre, and it has been controlled by many countries because of its strategic location. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D. It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer al-Idrisi mentions it in 1151. It was a part of the Kilwa Sultanate from approximately
2236-549: The Americans. Anchoring near shore would allow them to land quickly if attacked. Negotiations were ongoing between the pirates and Commander Frank Castellano of the Bainbridge and FBI hostage negotiators . The captors were also communicating with other pirate vessels by satellite phone. However, negotiations broke down hours after the pirates fired on Halyburton not long after sunrise on Saturday, 11 April. The American frigate did not return fire and "did not want to escalate
2322-464: The Bamburi area, hosts around 100,000 residents. The estate has its own supermarket, several retail shops, salons and boutiques, and a number of licensed drinking dens. The establishments include The Shilla Bar, Turkey Base, Stars Garden and Sensera pub. Kiembeni is arguably the largest estate in Mombasa, and growing even faster. Other areas include, Shanzu , Mkomani, Bombolulu , Kisauni and, across
2408-769: The British East Africa Association, later the Imperial British East Africa Company . It came under British administration in 1895. It soon became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate and the sea terminal of the Uganda Railway , construction of which was started in 1896. Many workers were brought in from British India to build the railway, and the city's fortunes revived. The Sultan of Zanzibar formally presented
2494-583: The FBI investigated two members of the SEAL team's Red Squadron, but no charges were brought and the money was not recovered. One of the pirates killed was Ali Aden Elmi, the last name of another was Hamac, and the third has not been identified in English-language press reports. The film based on Phillips' book names the three Walid Elmi, Nour Najee, and Adan Bilal. Their bodies were later turned over by
2580-880: The Government Training Institute (GTI) Mombasa are all in Kizingo as well. Central Business District: The Mombasa central business district across the TSS building roundabout, Moi Avenue, and Nyerere Avenue is densely populated. Organizations such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and businesses such as Banks (ABSA, I&M Ltd, Bank of India Ltd), Insurance Firms (Nomura Insurance Brokers, Masumali Meghji Insurance), and Audit Firms (Anant Bhatt LLP, Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, Mazars LLP, Deloitte LLP, and PKF LLP) are located here. Kibokoni : Part of Old Town with Swahili architecture. Fort Jesus
2666-686: The Likoni Riots of 1997. The Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge was built and designed to ease pressure on the Likoni ferry crossing by taking up most of the foot traffic, leaving the ferries to serve vehicular and cargo crossing between Mombasa Island and the South Coast. Diani Beach : a beach resort area situated over the Likoni Ferry on the south coast of Mombasa. It is located some 36 km (22 miles) south of Mombasa city on
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2752-507: The Mtwapa creek, the popular area of Mtwapa , which is already located in Kilifi county. The North Coast has an entertainment industry which attracts locals and tourists. Likoni : is a lower income and lower-middle-class neighbourhood connected to Mombasa Island by ferry. It is south of Mombasa Island and is made up of mostly Swahili and non-Swahili Bantu tribes. The ferry was the target of
2838-619: The Somali Basin seized the Danish/U.S. cargo ship Maersk Alabama at a distance of 240 nautical miles (440 km; 280 mi) southeast of Eyl , Somalia. The siege ended after a rescue effort by the United States Navy on April 12. The incident was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the U.S. flag since the early 19th century. Many news reports cited the last pirate seizure as being during
2924-469: The Swahili Coast. During the pre-modern period, Mombasa was an important centre for the trade in spices, gold, and ivory . Its trade links reached as far as India and China. Oral historians today can still recount this period of local history. Indian history shows that there were trade links between Mombasa and Cholas of South India . Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in
3010-755: The U.S. Navy to unidentified recipients in Somalia. Two former Navy SEALs have claimed participation in the rescue: Matt Bissonnette (using the nom de plume Mark Owen) and Robert J. O'Neill . Both also participated in Operation Neptune Spear that killed Osama bin Laden . Muse, the surviving pirate, was held in USS ; Boxer 's afloat brig and was eventually flown to the United States to stand trial. Prosecutors brought charges in
3096-758: The Zimba slaughtered the Muslim inhabitants, but they were halted at Malindi by the Bantu-speaking Segeju and went home. This stimulated the Portuguese to take over Mombasa a third time in 1589, and four years later they built Fort Jesus to administer the region. Between Lake Malawi and the Zambezi mouth, Kalonga Mzura made an alliance with the Portuguese in 1608 and fielded 4,000 warriors to help defeat their rival Zimba, who were led by chief Lundi. After
3182-496: The area during his travels to the Swahili Coast . He noted the city, although he stayed only one night. He wrote that the people of Mombasa were Shafi'i Muslims, religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques were made of wood, expertly built. The exact founding date of the city is unknown, but it has a long history. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D. It must have been already
3268-479: The area with an armed escort, towards her original destination in Mombasa, Kenya, with the vessel's Chief Mate Shane Murphy in charge. On Saturday, April 11, Maersk Alabama arrived in the port of Mombasa, Kenya , still under U.S. military escort, where C/M Murphy was relieved by Captain Larry Aasheim, who had previously been captain of Maersk Alabama until Richard Phillips relieved him eight days before
3354-404: The autopsy found the cause of death to be "respiratory failure, with suspicion of myocardial infarction (heart attack)." The presence of a syringe and traces of heroin in the cabin led to a suspicion of drug use. In April, following receipt of a toxicology report which found alcohol in the men's blood, police confirmed that death had been caused by consumption of alcohol and heroin . As of 2018,
3440-470: The bridge and Fisher had taken control of the steering gear. Perry then shut down all ship systems and the entire vessel "went black." The pirates captured Captain Richard Phillips and several other crew members minutes after boarding, but found that they could not control the ship. Perry, armed with a knife, remained outside the secure room lying in wait for the pirates who were trying to locate
3526-409: The building of Fort Jesus , Mombasa was put by the Portuguese under the rule of members of the ruling family of Malindi. In 1631 Dom Jeronimo , the ruler of Mombasa, slaughtered the Portuguese garrison in the city and defeated the relief force sent by the Portuguese. In 1632 Dom Jeronimo left Mombasa and became a pirate. That year the Portuguese returned and established direct rule over Mombasa. With
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3612-586: The city in search of employment, mainly in service and manufacturing sector. The area is adjacent to the rich suburb of Nyali which employs a portion of the village residents. They are mainly hired as cheap labour as watchmen, gardeners, masons for up coming houses and house help. The most well known villages inside Kongowea include Kisumu Ndogo, Shauri Yako and Mnazi Mmoja, despite being located in this prime area, many residents live under extreme conditions – poor sanitation, high crime rate and lack of basic essential amenities like schools, hospitals and tap water. Kongowea
3698-490: The city wanted to be "the most photographed in Africa". Being a coastal town , Mombasa is characterised by a flat topography. The town of Mombasa is centred on Mombasa Island, but extends to the mainland. The island is separated from the mainland by two creeks , Port Reitz in the south and Tudor Creek in the north. Mombasa has a tropical wet and dry climate ( Köppen : As ). The amount of rainfall essentially depends on
3784-801: The city's best-known monuments, were originally constructed in 1952 by the British administration of the Kenya Colony , commemorating the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the city. In 2018, as part of an effort to increase tourism, Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho issued a directive requiring that all buildings in the Old Town and the Central Business District be painted white with Egyptian blue trim and banned all signs from their walls or canopies. Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works County Executive Tawfiq Balala stated that
3870-436: The coast of Somalia. On April 8, 2009, four Somali pirates boarded Maersk Alabama when it was located 240 nmi (440 km; 280 mi) southeast of the Somalia port city of Eyl . With a crew of 20, the ship was en route to Mombasa , Kenya . The ship was carrying 17,000 metric tons of cargo, of which 5,000 metric tons were relief supplies bound for Somalia, Uganda, and Kenya. According to Chief Engineer Mike Perry,
3956-649: The complex and far-reaching Indian Ocean trading networks. Its key exports were ivory, millet , sesamum and coconuts . Ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, the Persian Empire , the Arabian Peninsula, India and China. Sixteenth-century Portuguese voyager Duarte Barbosa wrote, "[Mombasa]
4042-442: The crew attempted to exchange Muse for Phillips, but the exchange went awry and the pirates did not release Phillips after Muse was released. When Phillips escorted the pirates to a lifeboat to show them how to operate it, the pirates fled in the lifeboat with Phillips as a hostage and $ 30,000 in cash taken from the safe of the Maersk Alabama . On 8 April, the United States Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge and
4128-516: The criminal investigation results in Seychelles had not yet been disclosed to the public. Seychelles law enforcement released the vessel on February 24. Both Maersk and Trident officially prohibit drug use on board their ships. Maersk Alabama hijacking [REDACTED] United States Navy 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2017 The Maersk Alabama hijacking began on 8 April 2009, when four pirates in
4214-596: The destruction of the city under Nuno da Cunha again in 1528 after the Malindi sultan failed to pay tribute . In 1585, a military expedition of the Ottoman Empire , led by Emir 'Ali Bey, successfully captured Mombasa, and other coastal cities in Southeast Africa from the Portuguese. However, Malindi remained loyal to Portugal. The Zimba overcame the towns of Sena and Tete on the Zambezi, and in 1587 they took Kilwa , killing 3,000 people. At Mombasa,
4300-460: The early 14th century until the dissolution of the sultanate in 1513 A.D. The oldest stone mosque in Mombasa, Mnara, was built c. 1300. The Mandhry Mosque, built in 1570, has a minaret that contains a regionally specific ogee arch. The city later came under the occupation and control of the Omani Empire in the late 17th century. In the late pre-colonial period, it was the metropolis of
4386-494: The embarked security team fired two shots into the skiff. The skiff quickly broke off, losing radar contact after 10 minutes. On 19 February 2014, it was reported that two former Navy SEALs working as security contractors aboard the Maersk Alabama for the private security firm Trident Group were found dead aboard the container ship a day after it docked at Port Victoria, Seychelles. Seychelles police officials reported that
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#17327918074074472-459: The engineers sank the pirate speedboat shortly after the boarding by continuously swinging the rudder of Maersk Alabama thus scuttling the smaller boat. As the pirates were boarding the ship, the crew members locked themselves in the engine room while the captain and two other crew members remained on the bridge. The engineers then took control of the ship from down below, rendering the bridge controls useless. The pirates were thus unable to control
4558-470: The founding of an urban settlement on Mombasa Island is still linked to present-day peoples living in Mombasa. The Thenashara Taifa (or Twelve Nations) Swahili lineages recount this ancient history today and are the keepers of local Swahili traditions. Most of the early information on Mombasa comes from the writings of Portuguese chroniclers in the 16th century. The famous Moroccan scholar and traveller Ibn Battuta (1304 – 1368/1369) visited
4644-593: The guided-missile frigate USS Halyburton were dispatched to the Gulf of Aden in response to the hostage situation, Halyburton carrying two SH-60B Seahawk helicopters on board. The ships reached Maersk Alabama early on 9 April. Maersk Alabama was then escorted from the scene to its original destination of Mombasa where Captain Larry D. Aasheim took command of the ship. Phillips had relieved Aasheim nine days earlier. CNN and Fox News quoted sources stating that
4730-416: The head. One of the three slain was later identified as Ali Aden Elmi. A fourth pirate, Abduwali Muse , aboard the Bainbridge and negotiating for Phillips' release while being treated for an injury sustained in the takeover of Maersk Alabama , surrendered and was taken into custody. Muse's parents asked that he be pardoned because he was either 15 or 16 years old at the time of the incident, but in court, it
4816-419: The hijacking, was released in 2013. At 6:30 a.m. on November 18, 2009, Maersk Alabama was reportedly sailing some 350 nautical miles (650 km) east of Somalia when she was fired upon by four pirates wielding automatic weapons and traveling in a skiff. The assault failed after guards on the ship responded with small arms fire and acoustical weapons . Afterward, a Djibouti -based patrol plane flew to
4902-471: The last of them made it independent again (disputed by Oman), as the first of its recorded Sultans: From 9 February 1824 to 25 July 1826, there was a British protectorate over Mombasa, represented by governors. Omani rule was restored in 1826; seven liwalis where appointed. On 24 June 1837, it was nominally annexed by Said bin Sultan of Muscat and Oman . On 25 May 1887 Mombasa was relinquished to
4988-518: The mainland coast and is a prime resort for many local and international tourists. Diani Beach has an airport at Ukunda town to cater for tourists who fly there directly from Nairobi Wilson or any other airports and airfields in the country. Magongo : is an outlying township 20 minutes driving distance northwest of Mombasa Island, situated on the Nairobi Highway. This fringe community lacks any effective electricity, water or sewer systems, with
5074-404: The missing crew members in order to gain control of the ship and presumably sail it to Somalia. Perry tackled their ringleader, Abduwali Muse , and took him prisoner after a cat-and-mouse chase in a darkened engine room. Muse, whose hand was cut during the altercation, was then tied up and his wounds treated by Second Mate Ken Quinn. Later, after suffering in the overheated secure room for hours,
5160-532: The names of both the queen and the city have linguistic and spiritual connections with Central Africa. "Mkisi" is considered the personification of "ukisi" , which means "the holy" in kiKongo . "Kongowea" can similarly be interpreted as the Swahili locative of "kongo" , which denotes the essence of civilizational order in central Africa. These legends can be read as an acknowledgement of the Bantu -speaking origins of
5246-666: The need for residents to cross the bridge and to go into the congested Mombasa city centre. Nyali is home for the Nyali Cinemax complex, Mamba Village, the Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most prestigious academic institutions of the Coast Province. Kongowea is a densely populated area with 15 villages, two sub-locations and an estimated population of 106,180 residents. Kongowea is a cosmopolitan settlement mainly inhabited by people from mainland who migrated into
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#17327918074075332-462: The northwest mainland suburb of Chaani. Mombasa CBD Kizingo: Considered the prime residential area of Mombasa. The State House of Mombasa, Provincial Headquarters, The Mombasa Law Courts, and the Municipal Council are located in Kizingo. The Aga Khan Academy, Aga Khan High School, Serani Primary School, Serani High School, Santokben Nursery School, Coast Academy, Jaffery Academy, Mombasa Primary School, Loreto Convent, Mama Ngina Girls' High School and
5418-408: The ocean, fearing the Americans were somehow using the equipment to give instructions to Phillips. The U.S. Navy dispatched another amphibious assault ship, USS Boxer , to the site off the Horn of Africa . The pirates' strategy was to link up with their comrades, who were holding various other hostages, and to get Phillips to Somalia where they could hide him and make a rescue more difficult for
5504-433: The pirate alarm sounded, Chief Engineer Mike Perry brought 14 members of the crew into a secure room that the engineers had been fortifying for such a purpose. As the pirates approached, the remaining crew fired flares. In addition, Perry and First Assistant Engineer Matt Fisher swung the ship's rudder , which swamped the pirate skiff. Nonetheless, the ship was boarded. Perry had initially taken main engine control away from
5590-401: The pirate attack. An 18-man marine security team was on board. The FBI secured the ship as a crime scene. Meanwhile, a standoff had begun on April 9 between Bainbridge and the pirates in Maersk Alabama's lifeboat, where they continued to hold Captain Phillips hostage. Three days later, on Sunday, April 12, Navy marksmen opened fire and killed the three pirates on the lifeboat, and Phillips
5676-500: The pirates refused to release Phillips in exchange. Since the battery had died on the open-air boat, they left in the ship's covered lifeboat, taking Phillips with them. The lifeboat carried ten days of food rations, water, and basic survival supplies. On April 8, the destroyer USS Bainbridge and the frigate USS Halyburton were dispatched to the Gulf of Aden in response to a hostage situation, and reached Maersk Alabama early on April 9. Maersk Alabama then departed from
5762-402: The pirates' strategy was to await the arrival of additional hijacked vessels carrying more pirates and additional hostages to use as human shields . A stand-off began on 9 April between Bainbridge , Halyburton , and the pirates on the lifeboat from Maersk Alabama with Phillips held hostage. The lifeboat was covered and contained plenty of food and water but lacked basic comforts, including
5848-437: The port of Mombasa under U.S. military escort. The FBI then secured the ship as a crime scene. Castellano stated that as the winds picked up, tensions rose among the pirates and "we calmed them" and persuaded the pirates to be towed by the destroyer. On Sunday, 12 April, US Navy SEAL Team Six snipers of Red Squadron fired shots from Bainbridge ' s fantail , killing the three remaining pirates after Muse had boarded
5934-399: The rest of Kenya , climate change is already creating challenges for the city: coastal erosion has become a problem for infrastructure in Mombasa. Due to rising sea levels , the coastline has been eroding at 2.5–20 cm (0.98–7.87 in) per year. This has increased the number of annual floods. Mombasa is located on Mombasa Island and sprawls to the surrounding mainlands. The island
6020-435: The scene, and an EU ship searched the area. On 29 September 2010, the vessel was targeted by Somali pirates wielding AK-47s. The security forces on board Maersk Alabama repelled a skiff with five pirates approximately 1,530 kilometres (950 mi) east of Somalia. The incident went unreported by the media until November 2010. On 8 March 2011, Somali pirates again targeted the vessel. A security force on board
6106-403: The scene. A total of 54 hostages were on two of the ships, citizens of China, Germany, Russia, the Philippines, Tuvalu, Indonesia, and Taiwan. On 10 April, Phillips attempted to escape from the lifeboat, but was recaptured after the captors fired shots. (Phillips later stated this was not an escape attempt. ) The pirates then threw a phone and a two-way radio dropped to them by the U.S. Navy into
6192-440: The season. The rainiest months are April and May, while rainfall is minimal between January and February. Located near the equator, Mombasa has only a slight seasonal temperature variation, with high temperatures ranging 28.8–33.7 °C (83.8–92.7 °F). As a seaport, Mombasa is subject to detrimental consequences of a fluctuating climate. In October 2006, Mombasa experienced a large flood that affected 60,000 people. Like
6278-454: The ship a day prior to the attack of 8 April. Their training included the use of small arms, anti-terror, basic safety, first aid, and other security-related courses. On 8 April 2009, four pirates based on FV Win Far 161 attacked the ship. Armed with AK-47 assault rifles , all four of the pirates were between 15 and 18 years old, according to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates . When
6364-416: The ship is still in active service. The story of the incident was reported by Captain Richard Phillips , who had been master of the vessel at the time of the incident, in the 2010 book A Captain's Duty , which he co-wrote with Stephan Talty . The book was later adapted as the U.S. 2013 film Captain Phillips , starring Tom Hanks . With a crew of 23 and 17,000 metric tons (19,000 short tons) of cargo,
6450-669: The ship was detained in Kuwait after becoming the victim of an apparent fraud scheme. According to papers filed by the A. P. Moller-Maersk Group with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2005, Kuwait -based expatriates scammed the Group out of millions of dollars. Low-value goods were allegedly shipped under the guise of fraudulent, high-value bills of lading . Maersk
6536-535: The ship within 250 miles of the coast, which the crew members said put their lives in jeopardy and that the companies did not provide adequate security for their employees. The lawsuit was later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money. Just weeks after his rescue from the Somali pirates, the American talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) signed Phillips and auctioned off his life rights to
6622-675: The ship, originating from Salalah , Oman, was bound for Mombasa , Kenya, after a stop in Djibouti . The Maersk Alabama was carrying 401 containers of food aid from USAID , Serving God Ministries, the World Food Program , and Catholic Relief Services. The food aid was destined for people in Somalia and Uganda, Somali refugees in Kenya, and refugees in Rwanda. The crew members of Maersk Alabama had received anti-piracy training from union training schools and had drilled aboard
6708-415: The ship. The crew later used "brute force" to overpower one of the pirates, Abduwali Muse , and free one of the hostages, Abu Thair Mohd Zahid Reza. Frustrated, the pirates decided to leave the ship, taking Phillips to a lifeboat as their bargaining chip. The crew attempted to exchange this captured pirate, whom they had kept tied up for twelve hours, for Captain Phillips. The captured pirate was released, but
6794-510: The situation". No crew members of Halyburton were injured from the gunfire, as the shots were fired haphazardly by a pirate from the front hatch of the lifeboat. "We are safe and we are not afraid of the Americans. We will defend ourselves if attacked", one of the pirates told Reuters by satellite phone . Phillips' family had gathered at his farmhouse in Vermont awaiting a resolution to the situation. Later that day, Maersk Alabama arrived in
6880-636: The town to the British in 1898. Mombasa became the capital of the Kenya Colony Protectorate of Kenya , sometime between 1887 and around 1906. The capital was later moved because medical officers warned that the ground was swampy, and urged Sir James Hayes Sadler , then Commissioner of the East Africa Protectorate, to plead with London to move the town elsewhere to mitigate potential disease. Nairobi has since been Kenya's capital to date. The Mombasa tusks , one of
6966-501: The township, within Mombasa Island itself as there is a lack of employment and industry. There are a number of small health clinics, shops, and a few public primary schools: Nazarene primary is one school, which is known in particular as being staffed by a revolving volunteer teacher base from Western, and predominately English speaking nations. This small town serves as a link between the city and Moi International Airport. Magongo
7052-469: Was flagged to Denmark . In 2004, Alva Maersk was renamed Maersk Alabama and reflagged to the United States , with its operator, Maersk Line, Limited, based in Norfolk, Virginia . It has been involved in seven incidents and was employed on Maersk Line's East Africa 4 service. Its regular route was from Mombasa, Kenya to Salalah , Oman , to Djibouti , and then returning to Mombasa. In 2004,
7138-497: Was rescued in good condition. Bainbridge captain Commander Frank Castellano , with prior authorization from U.S. President Barack Obama , ordered the action after determining that Phillips' life was in immediate danger, based on reports that a pirate was pointing an AK-47 assault rifle at his back. U.S. Navy SEAL snipers on Bainbridge' s fantail opened fire, killing the three pirates with bullets to
7224-605: Was ruled that he was not a juvenile and would be tried as an adult. He pleaded guilty to piracy charges and was sentenced to over 33 years in prison. The actual lifeboat in which Captain Phillips was held hostage is now on display at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, FL. An example of the Scan Eagle UAV used to monitor the crisis is also on display. Captain Phillips , a film based on
7310-458: Was sacked by the Portuguese. In 1502, the sultanate became independent from Kilwa Kisiwani and was renamed as Mvita (in Swahili ) or Manbasa ( Arabic ). The Portuguese had since had encounters with the city several times; first under Francisco de Almeida in 1505, later under Afonso de Albuquerque in 1522 to quell an attempted mutiny by the sultan's nephew in Pemba and Zanzibar, and finally
7396-625: Was subsequently sued for losing goods that had never existed. Those allegedly behind the scheme were able to detain Alva Maersk in Kuwait as collateral . The ship was released in April 2004 after the A. P. Moller-Maersk Group was forced to put up $ 1.86 million as collateral. On April 7, 2009, the U.S. Maritime Administration , following NATO advisories, released a Somalia Gulf of Aden advisory to mariners recommending ships to stay at least 600 nautical miles (1,100 km; 690 mi) off
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