David B. Moskoff | The Hartford Courant ON April 8, when the ship MV Maersk Alabama was seized by four pirates 240 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, most Americans were unaware of the ongoing regional piracy crisis and its effect on the world's merchant marine fleets. It had been more than a century since a US vessel had been seized by pirates. The standoff included the taking of the ship's captain as a hostage. By the time Capt. Richard Phillips was rescued on April 12, America knew piracy as a serious criminal problem that endangers lives. Just two days later, another US ship, the MV...
photo: AP / Karel Prinsloo
