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In Norfolk the captain of a ship attacked by pirates thanks the Norfolk based crew that rescued him.
It's been seven months in the making, but finally Captain Phillips was reunited with the sailors aboard the Bainbridge, giving him a chance to say thanks to the crew that saved his life.
Though he was only on board the USS Bainbridge for a short time, it felt like a homecoming for Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama. Today he was reunited with the crew that rescued him from Somali pirates.
"You are a dedicated team, you are true patriots. You are the heroes in the story involving me and I just want to thank the true heroes of my incident."
It happened last April when the Maersk Alabama was hijacked. Captain Phillips gave himself up for the safety of his crew. For days, he was held captive in a lifeboat until the Norfolk based USS Bainbridge arrived to rescue him. SEAL teams killed three pirates, rescuing Captain Phillips.
The ship's commanding officer, Commander Frank Castellano, said his crew was going to stop at nothing to rescue the captain.
"I had to basically order people to leave their posts so they can get relieved and have another watch stander to take over," he said.
Dedication, Captain Phillips said, that will never be forgotten. He shook hands with each of the sailors giving each of them his personal thanks, not just as a rescued mariner thanking his rescuers, but as a friend who has now become a member of the USS Bainbridge family.
Captain Phillips also talked about the second attack on the Maersk Alabama. He said it goes to show that pirates are still out there and stressed the importance of counter piracy missions.
It's been seven months in the making, but finally Captain Phillips was reunited with the sailors aboard the Bainbridge, giving him a chance to say thanks to the crew that saved his life.
Though he was only on board the USS Bainbridge for a short time, it felt like a homecoming for Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama. Today he was reunited with the crew that rescued him from Somali pirates.
"You are a dedicated team, you are true patriots. You are the heroes in the story involving me and I just want to thank the true heroes of my incident."
It happened last April when the Maersk Alabama was hijacked. Captain Phillips gave himself up for the safety of his crew. For days, he was held captive in a lifeboat until the Norfolk based USS Bainbridge arrived to rescue him. SEAL teams killed three pirates, rescuing Captain Phillips.
The ship's commanding officer, Commander Frank Castellano, said his crew was going to stop at nothing to rescue the captain.
"I had to basically order people to leave their posts so they can get relieved and have another watch stander to take over," he said.
Dedication, Captain Phillips said, that will never be forgotten. He shook hands with each of the sailors giving each of them his personal thanks, not just as a rescued mariner thanking his rescuers, but as a friend who has now become a member of the USS Bainbridge family.
Captain Phillips also talked about the second attack on the Maersk Alabama. He said it goes to show that pirates are still out there and stressed the importance of counter piracy missions.
