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Apr 23, 2009 10:19 pm US/Central
Seaman Captured At Sea By Somali Pirates Talks
He Tells Story During Plano Visit
Marianne Martinez
PLANO (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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The Maersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
AP
As a merchant seaman, Colin Wright was prepared to deal with danger.
He was a crew member of the Maersk-Alabama, which was attacked by Somali pirates two weeks ago.
"These guys, they don't look menacing," said Wright. "But once they've got an AK-47 in their hand, they're pretty menacing."
Wright, who grew up in North Texas, was a crew member of the Maersk-Alabama ship. The day before the attack, Wright said the pirates chased the ship, but could not get aboard. They came back the next day with a faster boat.
"Once they boarded the vessel with their guns, we had no chance to do anything," Wright said.
Wright was held hostage on the ship's bridge, as the pirates plotted to take control.
"They're pointing guns and telling us to do things, and moving us around, yelling," he said. "Things are confusing and scary."
During the day-long struggle for power, crew members took one of the pirates hostage, and the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, gave himself up.
"They were supposed to give us our captain, and we were supposed to give them the pirate that we captured. We held up our end of the deal and they didn't hold up theirs," Wright said.
The pirates left, frustrated they could not take the ship. But they kept the captain.
"I had no idea they were going to keep the captain for as many days as they did."
Days later, the U.S. Navy rescued Captain Phillips, and crew members celebrated.
Wright said after a visit to North Texas, he's ready to get back to work. However, he hopes what happened aboard the Maersk-Alabama will shed light on the dangers of the high seas.
"There are other merchant marines going on these same routes everyday and hopefully our government and our unions can work out something that will make it safer," he said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Strange Photos 2009
CBS News Interactive: Piracy On The High Seas
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