Yacht hijacked by pirates and four Americans killed

February 22, 2011
         While negotiations were under way gunfire erupted from the pirate on which the hostages were secured. According to U.S. Central Command, "As they responded to the gunfire, reaching and boarding the Quest, the forces discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors.  Despite immediate steps to provide life-saving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds." While boarding the ship the reaction force was attacked by the pirate, killed two of them, and captured thirteen others. Two other pirates were found already dead on the vessel.  Jean and Scott Adam and two other people on board, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, had been traveling with yachts participating in the Blue Water Rally. They had broken off from the group on February 15.
           While the article gave me most of the information needed, I believe that it should have explained or conjectured on why the pirates shot the hostages. The two already dead pirates suggest that either the hostages tried to fight back and managed to kill two of the pirates, or that there had been an internal struggle between the pirates.
           Many of the people commented that breaking away from the larger group was a foolish thing to do, which I would wholly agree with.  Many commentators also raved that the U.S. and other countries should engage the pirates with shoot on sight orders. While I think this a bit much, I think the reaction against the pirates should contain more lethal force.