pirate radio yacht owner son

SOLD: Nordhavn N86 ‘PIRATE RADIO’

Yachtsmen International is delighted to announce the sale of 86’ Nordhavn Yacht PIRATE RADIO.

Yachtsmen International Managing Director Sean Madgwick introducing the buyer and Garrett Severen from Nordhavn Yachts representing the seller.

The Australian buyer, an avid surfer, had been searching for the perfect yacht to suit the family’s adventurous leanings – the perfect platform for chasing some of the most renown surf breaks in the Pacific, if not the world. From the outset, it was evident that we needed to find the right “tool” to not only travel safely to these regions but also to stow large tenders, jet skis, and the biggest collection of surfboards you’ve seen yet! Additionally, the vessel would need to serve well as the ideal ‘home-away-from-home’, fitted with all the creature comforts you could ever want for relaxing after a big day on the water, as well as being well-suited for entertaining and enjoying with friends and family.

The search was broad in terms of where we were willing to travel to find the right yacht, yet our criteria narrowed down the options to one particular niche, a niche that is increasing in popularity year on year – expedition yachts. We recognised the appeal of this niche (especially to the Australian market) back in 2021 when Yachtsmen International signed a new build with one of the world’s leading expedition builders, Cantiere Delle Marche, for the recently launched 35 meter, RJ115 M/Y PAZIENZA. In 2024 PAZIENZA will proudly call Australia home, she takes the title of the first CdM to be built for an Australian.

“It has been such an absolute pleasure to work with such a congruent down to earth family who shared similar values and aspirations,” comments Sean, “we’re all excited to see the vast array of incredible destinations they will undoubtedly conquer over the coming years.”

PIRATE RADIO was designed by Jeff Leishman and built by Nordhavn Yachts in 2009, she is hull number 4 of Nordhavn’s 86 model. PIRATE RADIO was located in Fort Lauderdale at the time of sale but is now Australia-bound much to the delight of her new Owners. We wish her new Owners many years of safe & enjoyable yachting.

Contact Yachtsmen International direct for media requests and photos, and to learn more about the sale  of PIRATE RADIO,

If you’re interested in buying or selling a yacht, contact the professional team of yacht brokers at Yachtsmen International. Our expert team of brokers at Yachtsmen International can provide exclusive access to thousands of quality, luxury yachts for sale the world-over, including private yachts not publicly listed for sale. From pre-owned yacht sales to new construction, charter to service & refit , discover Yachtsmen International’s full-service approach to yachting today!

Five owners, four countries, 30,000 nautical miles, 1 boat

• December 18, 2023
• Latest , N86
• No Comments

Despite the many miles under the keel and 4,700 hours on the engine, the boat showed impeccably and surveyed nearly flawlessly. While Pirate Radio passed her seatrial with ease, her international pedigree meant she was in Florida under a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) bond, a complicated process dictated by US tax regulations. Severen was able to work with US Customs to clear the boat out of the FTZ in the Bahamas and get her ready to begin life back on the other side of the globe, where more worldly adventures await.

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Yachtsmen International Closes Sale of Nordhavn N86 PIRATE RADIO

By Emily Dawkins

Australian brokerage Yachtsmen International has announced the sale of the Nordhavn 86 motor yacht PIRATE RADIO. Sold to an avid surfer from Australia, the sale of the 26m vessel was completed by Yachtsmen’s Managing Director Sean Madgwick, who introduced the buyer, and Nordhavn Yachts’ Garrett Severen, who represented the seller.

Perfect for her new owner and their family’s active, adventurous lifestyle which sees them, ‘chasing some of the most renowned surf breaks in the Pacific, if not the world’, PIRATE RADIO offers everything and more one would want from a superyacht.

Designed by Jeff Leishman, Owner and Chief Designer of Nordhavn Yachts, PIRATE RADIO was launched in 2009 as hull number four of Nordhavn’s popular 86 model. Considered to be, ‘one of the finest Nordhavn’s ever built’, the 26m vessel boasts remarkable size and volume, comparable to yachts from the yard’s 110’ range, and is fitted with a fuel capacity in excess of 26,000 litres, allowing her owner to venture around the world in confidence.

Beautifully adorned in fine hardwoods, intricate mouldings and raised panels which are balanced by cooler stone floors and granite countertops, the interior decor of PRIVATE RADIO offers a warm and welcoming serenity: luxurious but also highly functional. 

A notable highlight onboard is her expansive swim platform which features a custom swim ladder and dual wrap-around staircases leading up to the aft deck: another space perfect for entertaining family and friends. 

PRIVATE RADIO has accommodation for ten comprising one incredible full-width master suite on the sky lounge level complete with a private balcony, and four VIP guest suites, all with ensuites. 

With requests from the owner for safe cruising, a ‘home-away-from-home’ atmosphere and comfortability onboard, as well as plenty of storage for tenders, jet skis and, of course, an array of surfboards, the elegant expedition build was the perfect match for her new owner. 

‘It has been such an absolute pleasure to work with such a congruent down-to-earth family who shared similar values and aspirations,’ commented Sean Madgwick. ‘We’re all excited to see the vast array of incredible destinations they will undoubtedly conquer over the coming years.’

PIRATE RADIO has a top speed of 12 knots and a cruising speed of 10 knots, powered by twin 600hp MTU series 60 engines. She was located in Fort Lauderdale at the time of her sale but is now on her way to Australia to welcome her new owners onboard.

According to Yachtsmen International, there has been an increasing popularity year on year for expedition yachts such as PIRATE RADIO, especially in the Australian market. This was first recognised by the brokerage house in 2021 when it signed a new build with one of the world’s leading expedition builders, Cantiere delle Marche, for the recently launched 35 m M/Y PAZIENZA. The 35m is soon to call Australia her home, where she will proudly take the title of the first CdM vessel built for an Australian. 

"It has been such an absolute pleasure to work with such a congruent down-to-earth family who shared similar values and aspirations" Sean Madgwick, Managing Director, Yachtsmen International

"It has been such an absolute pleasure to work with such a congruent down-to-earth family who shared similar values and aspirations"

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PIRATE RADIO for sale

The 2008 Hatteras PIRATE RADIO blends elegance and comfort seamlessly for an unforgettable cruising experience. With a shallow draft and the ability to cruise comfortably at 16 knots, she has a max speed of 21 knots. PIRATE RADIO is powered by twin CAT C-32 engines. She boasts low engine hours and stabilizers, ensuring guests will enjoy a smooth journey. PIRATE RADIO is luxury on the water.

As you step aboard PIRATE RADIO, you'll be greeted by the spacious aft deck. With teak finish and a built-in seating area with a dining table that accommodates eight, guests will enjoy delightful alfresco dining.

Stepping inside through electronic doors, the main salon beckons with a sunken bar featuring a black Galaxy countertop, providing an excellent space for enjoying a cocktail as guests lounge in her main salon seating area. There is a custom cabinet for a 50” Plasma TV for entertainment. The large sofa and club chair offer relaxation and a wine cooler ensures drinks are perfectly chilled. A formal dining table is forward, with additional storage and a day head nearby. Recently refitted in 2022, the yacht boasts a refreshed interior that showcases a classic American style with cherry wood throughout. The light-blue and white décor elements and furniture create a welcoming, coastal ambiance.

Heading further forward, you'll find the beautifully remodeled galley with brand-new flooring and a generous island. This area is extremely spacious and can be used to prepare all kinds of meals while onboard. Large windows provide stunning 180-degree views, and stairs lead to the enclosed flybridge.

Accommodations on PIRATE RADIO are designed to accommodate up to eight guests in four cabins. The full-beam master, located on the lower deck amidship, offers a king bed, his and hers closets, a safe and a his and hers en-suite with a pass-through shower. Granite countertops and Onyx Alabaster accents add a touch of luxury. The VIP stateroom, situated in the bow, features a queen-tapered berth and an en-suite with granite countertops. Natural light streams in through the skylight above. The starboard guest stateroom has twin crisscross berths and an en-suite with granite countertops and a stall shower. The port guest stateroom boasts a queen berth, an en-suite with a bathtub and sliding door and Arco Iris granite countertops and flooring. Crew accommodations for up to four are accessed through the transom.

The raised pilothouse and skylounge can be accessed from the main deck by either a staircase in the galley or from the aft deck. Here, you will find more space for relaxation or entertainment. A large sofa, comfortable chair and semi-circular-shaped settee provide ample seating for enjoying the journey. A built-in bar with a sink, refrigerator, and icemaker keeps refreshments close at hand. There is a pass-through window that extends the living space to the sun deck aft. The pilothouse offers excellent visibility with two Stidd chairs for driving.

The exterior styling of PIRATE RADIO is modern and sleek, complementing her overall design. The sun deck aft is perfect for relaxation, with a large, uncovered U-shaped table and a built-in bench. A 1500lb davit can accommodate a tender or toys, and two built-in grills are located to starboard beneath the overhang. PIRATE RADIO is the ultimate choice for those seeking a yacht that combines comfort, modern amenities and a feeling of home on the water.

Specifications

• Name: PIRATE RADIO
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Series, Model, Class: 80
• Builder: Hatteras
• Exterior Designer: Hatteras
• Interior Designer: Hatteras
• Refits: 2023-01-01
• Length Overall: 24.38 metres
• Length at Waterline: 20.97 metres
• Beam: 6.48 metres
• Max Draught: 1.73 metres
• Gross Tonnage: 127
• Displacement Tonnage: 86

Construction

• Year of Build: 2008
• Hull Number: GS628
• Hull Type: Semi Displacement
• Number of Decks: 3

Performance & Capacities

• Max Speed: 21 kn
• Cruising Speed: 18 kn
• Fuel Capacity: 10818 litres
• Water Capacity: 1234 litres
• Engine Make: Caterpillar
• Total power: 3300hp
• Superstructure: GRP

Accommodation

• Passenger Rooms: 4
• Master Rooms: 1
• Double Rooms: 1
• Twin Rooms: 1
• VIP Rooms: 1

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PIRATE RADIO Yacht for Sale

The 105-foot (32m) motor yacht PIRATE RADIO is a world-cruising motor yacht with excellent exterior spaces, including large Jacuzzi and outdoor bar area on the flybridge aft deck.

PIRATE RADIO is a truly remarkable vessel designed by the renowned naval architect Jon Bannenberg and built in the U.S. by Poole Chaffe.

She has undergone numerous refits over the years, including a two-year period from 1998 to 2000 where the yacht was rebuilt with a completely new superstructure, bow design, and extension to the transom for a unique tender elevator and two garages for water toys and storage use. Additionally, many of her main systems were completely updated, including new CAT engines, generators, wiring, plumbing, propellers, navigation electronics, ceilings and fixtures.

PIRATE RADIO’s interior offers a contemporary style and is well suited for any type of guest. She welcomes eight guests in four spacious staterooms, including a full-beam master stateroom with king size bed and en-suite bath, as well as a VIP bow cabin with queen-size bed and updated, en-suite bath with glass shower. She also features two additional queen cabins with separate updated baths.

PIRATE RADIO’s main deck aft offers spacious outdoor dining, and her flybridge aft deck has an oversized sunpad, large Jacuzzi, sun sails for shade and a large bar area. Her bow features a massive sunpad for catching rays and her upper deck area features a driving station and additional seating area.

Specifications

Accommodations, dimensions & capacity, construction, engines (x2).

Complete the form below and one of our experienced sales brokers will be in touch soon.

Full Details

Aluminum hull and superstructure with nu-teak decks. 

Length Overall:                  105 feet                   (32 meters) Length at Waterline:           96 feet                    (29 meters) Beam:                                 21 feet 6 inches     (6.5 meters) Max Draft:                           6 feet 1 inch           (1.8 meters) Gross tonnage:                  144 gross tons Displacement:                    146 tonnes

Fuel Capacity:                    5,400 US Gallons Water Capacity:                 1,200 US Gallons Holding Tank:                     400 US Gallons

Main Engines

Engine Type:                          (2) CAT 3412; 1350 hp Engine Hours:                        Port: 1,936; Starboard: 1,930 (as of 3.2018) Steering System:                    Wagner hydraulic Gearboxes:                             ZF

Air-Conditioning

Type:      2, 6-ton, chilled water a/c pumps                New air handler in master stateroom (2016)

Generators & Electricity

Generators:                            (2) Kohler 47 kW Generator hours:                    Port: 6,476; Starboard: 5,351; as of 3.2018 Shore Power:                         100 amp stern, 208v or 240v port and starboard Batteries:                                Main engine starting: 2 banks x 2 batteries for each                                                           engine                                                Generator starting: (new 2016): 1 bank x 1 8D battery                                                       each generator                                                General service: 8-D Misc.                                       LED lighting upgraded in master stateroom and flybridge                                                 queen cabin in 2016

Other Machinery

Watermakers:                           Watermakers, Inc. 2,400 GPD Stabilizers:                                Naiad, 300 series Bow Thruster:                           American Fuel Filtration:                           2 Racor filters on each engine                                                   1 Racor filter on each generator                                                   Alfa Laval Gray and Back Water System:  Headhunter

Communication, Navigation & Entertainment Systems

Communication Systems

Satcom:                                    SeaTel 2094 Satellite System Computer:                                 Yes, Epson printer/copier/fax VHF:                                          ICOM IC-710 SSB HP multi-use                                                   ICOM IC-M127 + handhelds

Navigation Systems

Radar:                                     (2) Furuno FR7111 72 mile radar Compass:                                Ritchie 6" Automatic Pilot:                       Simrad AP300DLX GPS:                                       (2) Garmin 5212 Digital Depth:                           Simrad Satcom:                                   SeaTel 2094 Satellite System Ship's Computer:                     ACER Platinum 200MGHz computer with Nobletec                                                           avtrek 97 chart software

Entertainment Systems

Video Equipment (1)                                          42" Panasonic LED TV (main salon) (1)                                          42" Samsung LED TV's (master stateroom) (1)                                          20" Toshiba LCD TV (forward bow VIP cabin) (1)                                          Insignia LCD TV (bridge deck queen cabin) (1)                                          Dynex LCD TV (main deck aft) (1)                                          Insignia LCD TV (crew cabin)

Audio Equipment

(1)                                         Yamaha YSP-900 sound bar (main salon) JL audio                                Integrated system throughout boat

Galley And Laundry Equipment

Main Galley Equipment

Cooking Equipment:                    GE Stainless Steel double oven                                                      GE Stainless Steel 5-burner cooktop                                                      GE microwave                                                      Outdoor grill (flybridge aft deck) Refrigeration & Freezer:               LG stainless steel double door with drawer freezer                                                      Westinghouse full size deep freezer Icemaker:                                     Yes, flybridge (new 2016) Wine Cooler:                                Yes, (new 2016) Dishwasher:                                  LG stainless steel Trash Compactor:                         Braun Misc.                                             Maple wood upper cabinetry, acrylic lower cabinetry,                                                         granite counters

Laundry Equipment

Laundry Equipment:                   (2) Whirlpool Washers                                                    (2) Whirlpool Dryers

Deck Equipment

Anchor Windlass:                        (2) Maxwell 4500 with anchor and chain (rebuilt 2017) Deck Capstans:                           (2) Maxwell 3800 capstans Passarelle:                                   13'' fixed Misc.                                            Nu teak decks installed 2016, 1 underwater light (stern)

Security , Fire Fighting, & Safety Equipment

Security Equipment

CCTV System:                            Flybridge aft deck camera

Fire-Fighting Equipment

Fire System:                               Halon, re-certified 2016 Fire Extinguishers                      Throughout Hydrants:                                    2 with hoses and nozzles port forward and starboard aft

Safety Equipment

(1)                                               Swiftlik 15-person canister life raft (1)                                               EPIRB

"PIRATE RADIO" is a reserved name and does not convey. All owner's and crew's personal items. A detailed list of exclusions will be provided at time of sale, upon written request. 

N&j Disclaimer

Specifications and details of this vessel are provided in good faith for informational purposes only. Data regarding the specifications, operating characteristics and condition of the vessel was obtained from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by owner or brokers. Buyer assumes responsibility to verify all speeds, capacities, consumptions and other measurements contained herein and otherwise provided and agrees to instruct his agent or surveyor to confirm such details prior to purchase. Vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price and inventory changes and withdrawal from market without notice.

Engine hours are as of the date of the original listing and are a representation of what the listing broker has been told by the owner and/or actual reading of the engine hour meters. The broker cannot and does not guarantee the true hours. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to verify engine hours, warranties implied or otherwise, and major overhauls as well as all other representations noted on the listing brochure.

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U.S: Seattle couple, 2 other Americans killed by pirates

Four Americans, including two from Seattle, have been killed by pirates who hijacked their yacht off the coast of Somalia.

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NAIROBI, Kenya — A pirate fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a U.S. Navy destroyer shadowing a hijacked yacht with four Americans aboard Tuesday. Then gunfire erupted, the military said, and U.S. special forces rushed to the yacht only to find the four American hostages fatally wounded.

The experienced yacht enthusiasts from Seattle and California are the first Americans killed by Somali pirates since the start of attacks off East Africa several years ago.

The yacht’s owners, Jean and Scott Adam of Marina del Rey near Los Angeles, along with Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay of Seattle were taken hostage on Friday several hundred miles south of Oman.

Their deaths appeared to underscore an increasingly brutal and aggressive shift by pirates in their treatment of hostages.

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Killing hostages “has now become part of our rules,” said a pirate who identified himself as Muse Abdi and referred to last week’s sentencing of a pirate to 33 years in prison for the 2009 attack on the U.S. cargo vessel the Maersk Alabama.

“From now on, anyone who tries to rescue the hostages in our hands will only collect dead bodies,” he said. “It will never ever happen that hostages are rescued and we are hauled to prison.”

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strongly condemned the killings, saying in a statement that the slayings were “deplorable” and underscored the need for international cooperation in fighting the scourge of piracy in waters off the Horn of Africa.

Pirates had hijacked the 58-foot yacht Quest south of Oman on Friday. Since then, four U.S. warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, and sky-high drones shadowed the vessel’s movement as pirates tried to sail it to the Somali shore.

U.S. officials negotiated with the captors via radio.

But at 8 a.m. East Africa time Tuesday (9 p.m. Monday in Seattle), a rocket-propelled grenade was fired from the Quest at the USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer 600 yards away. The RPG missed, and almost immediately afterward small-arms fire was heard coming from the yacht, said Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

Several pirates then appeared on deck with their hands up. U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel and tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died, Fox said. No U.S. forces were injured or killed.

Thirteen pirates were captured and detained Tuesday, and two other pirates had boarded the USS Sterett on Monday to negotiate, Fox said.

A member of a U.S. special operations force killed one of the pirates with a knife, Fox said. A second pirate was also killed, and the bodies of two other pirates were discovered on board, bringing to 19 the total number of pirates involved. The U.S. military didn’t say how those two died and it was not known if the pirates had fought among themselves.

“Great sailors, good people”

The Quest was the home Jean and Scott Adam, of Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles. The two had been sailing around the world since December 2004. Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, of Seattle, had recently joined the Adams.

“Great sailors, good people. They were doing what they wanted to do, but that’s small comfort in the face of this,” said Joe Grande of the Seattle Singles Yacht Club, where Riggle and Macay were members.

Around Christmas the Quest joined the Blue Water Rally, an around-the-world race. But race organizers said the Quest recently left the race despite what Fox said were warnings about the dangers of sailing in Horn of Africa region.

The Blue Water Rally said in a statement Tuesday that though yachtsmen are discouraged from sailing in the region, the only other choices are to sail around the stormy and dangerous tip of South Africa or sail back across the Pacific.

The Adams were skilled and experienced sailors, having traveled from Panama in 2005 to Fiji in 2007 and Cambodia last year. They most recently sailed from Thailand to Sri Lanka and India, and were on their way to Oman when captured.

The Adams ran a Bible ministry and had been distributing Bibles to schools and churches in remote villages in areas including the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America and French Polynesia.

At the Seattle Singles Yacht Club, friend Hank Curci said Riggle and Macay were carrying out a lifelong dream.

“Now that they’re gone it’s just difficult for us to accept because it’s like having a family member killed,” he said.

Meticulous planners

Friends, family and fellow sailors said that despite an adventurous spirit, the four were meticulous planners who knew the dangers they faced. The Adams had been sailing around the world since December 2004 with a yacht full of Bibles to distribute to remote regions, and were joined by Riggle and Macay, who left Seattle nine or 10 months ago.

The four had traveled with a large flotilla to stay safe from pirates earlier in the trip, but had left the group when the attack occurred, Macay’s niece, Nina Crossland, told reporters in South San Francisco.

Visibly shaken and holding back tears, Crossland said her 59-year-old aunt was shot but alive when the SEALs boarded the Quest. She died later.

“My aunt is a very smart and avid sailor,” Crossland told reporters in South San Francisco on Tuesday morning. “I think she was smart enough and planned ahead and prepared to not be in this type of situation.”

Macay had been keeping her mother in San Francisco updated by e-mail during her three-year voyage around the world.

In her last e-mail, sent just before Valentine’s Day, Macay told her mother they had “gotten information about the possibility of pirates before starting down their current route,” Crossland said Sunday.

But Macay indicated she believed their route would take them a safe distance away from pirates.

“A kindhearted individual”

Macay and longtime friend Riggle, a retired veterinarian and sailboat owner, had researched and planned for three years of cruising.

They joined an international community of cruising sailors who sometimes swap crew depending on where they want to go. Crossland said her aunt and Riggle had just joined up with the Adams.

Riggle had worked as a relief veterinarian for the Seattle Animal Shelter for the past seven to eight years, providing spay and neutering services for adopted animals and through a city program, said director Don Jordan.

“He wasn’t a man of many words but he was a kindhearted individual with a great passion for animals and animal welfare,” Jordan said. “He treated our staff with dignity and respect.”

Jordan recalled that Riggle once took a colleague’s family sailing when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer to get their mind off their troubles. “That was just a small indicator about how he treated people,” he said.

Maritime missionaries

During morning Mass at St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, Monsignor Lloyd Torgerson spoke about the Adams. “We are heartbroken. They were an extraordinary couple.”

Scott Adam, in his mid-60s, had been an associate producer in Hollywood when he turned in a spiritual direction and enrolled in the seminary a decade ago, Professor Robert K. Johnston of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and a friend of Adam’s.

“He decided he could take his pension, and he wanted to serve God and humankind,” he said.

Johnston and Adam worked together to start a film and theology institute. Adam also taught a class on church and media at the school.

Since 2004, the Adams lived on their yacht in Marina del Rey for about half the year and the rest of the year they sailed around the world, often distributing Bibles in remote parts of the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America and French Polynesia, Johnston said.

Scott and Jane Adam documented their maritime missionary work on their website, S/V Quest Adventure Log.

“This is a first”

Pirates have increased attacks off the coast of East Africa in recent years despite an international flotilla of warships dedicated to protecting vessels and stopping the pirate assaults.

But the conventional wisdom in the shipping industry had been that Somali pirates are businessmen looking for a multimillion-dollar ransom payday, not insurgents looking to terrorize people.

“We have heard threats against the lives of Americans before but it strikes me as being very, very unusual why they would kill hostages outright,” said Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, the head of Dryad Maritime Intelligence, adding that the pirates must realize that killing Americans would invite a military response.

President Obama, who was notified about the deaths at 4:42 a.m. Washington time, had authorized the military on Saturday to use force in case of an imminent threat to the hostages, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Motivated by million-dollar ransoms, pirates have become increasingly bold in their attacks despite a flotilla of international warships patrolling the waters off East Africa. The last time pirates kidnapped a U.S. citizen — during the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama — Navy sharpshooters killed two pirates and rescued the ship’s captain.

But Tuesday’s bloody events are apt to leave U.S. military planners in a quandary: Do they go after the pirates harder? Do they attack their bases on Somalia’s ungoverned shores? One maritime expert said it’s too early to tell.

“This is a first,” said Gibbon-Brooks, the analyst. “We don’t know if the situation is related to a straight execution. We don’t know if it was related to an attempt to break free. We don’t know if it was related to an accident.”

Gibbon-Brooks said the killings were “extremely unwise” by the Somalis, and that the deaths threaten what has been a successful and lucrative business model.

“They lost bigger than us”

Two days before the hijacking, a New York court sentenced a pirate to 33 years in prison for the 2009 attack on the Maersk Alabama, a U.S. cargo vessel. A pirate in Somalia told the AP last week that pirates were more likely to attack Americans because of the sentencing.

“It’s a black day for us and also the Americans, but they lost bigger than us,” a pirate who said his name was Bile Hussein said. “If they still want a solution and safety for their citizens in the oceans, let them release our men they arrested.”

Only minutes before the military announced that the four Americans had died, a Somali pirate told AP by phone that if the yacht were attacked, “the hostages will be the first to go.”

“Some pirates have even suggested rigging the yacht with land mines and explosives so as the whole yacht explodes with the first gunshot,” said the pirate, who gave his name as Abdullahi Mohamed, who claimed to be a friend of the pirates holding the four Americans.

Pirates — who currently hold 30 ships and more than 660 hostages — typically win a multimillion ransom for releasing their captives, a huge sum that is shared among investors and pirates. The money is often spent on alcohol, drugs and prostitutes. One ransom paid last year was reported as $9.5 million. Most ransoms are worth several million dollars.

Given that typical financial motivation, Tuesday’s killings left several unanswered questions, such as whether the pirates, being trailed by the Americans, believed there was no way to avoid spending years in a U.S. prison, or if the American forces spooked the pirates by approaching the yacht, or even if the hostages had tried to retake the yacht from the pirates.

Mohamed, the pirate in Somalia, told AP that pirate leaders had been expecting the yacht to make landfall soon.

Five cars full of pirates were headed toward the pirate dens of Eyl and Gara’ad in anticipation of the Quest reaching land Monday, he said. Had the four reached land, they may have faced a long hostage ordeal like the 388 days that the British sailing couple Paul and Rachel Chandler spent in the hands of pirates. The two were released in November.

“This incident is a clear message and alarm that it’s time the world community quickly steps up to stop these pirate criminal activities. They should be treated mercilessly,” said Gen. Yusuf Ahmed Khayr, the security minister in the northern Somalia region of Puntland, a pirate haven.

Associated Press writers Pauline Jelinek in Washington; Abdi Guled in Mogadishu, Somalia; and George Tibbits and Doug Esser in Seattle, Washington contributed to this report.

Seattle Times staff reporters Jack Broom and Lornet Turnbull contributed to this report.

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26.21m  /  86' | nordhavn | 2009 / 2020.

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