Statement of Governor Kaine – On Pirate Seizure of Container Ship Maersk Alabama Off Coast of Somalia

Statement

Statement of Governor Kaine - On Pirate Seizure of Container Ship Maersk Alabama Off Coast of Somalia

Governor Timothy M. Kaine released the following statement today on the seizure by pirates off the coast of Somalia of the Norfolk, Virginia-based container ship Maersk Alabama:

"The news this morning that the Maersk Alabama and its crew of twenty men and women were seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia is a sad and unsettling reminder of the precarious state of safety in the Indian Ocean. My thoughts and prayers are with the crew and their families today as we continue to receive news on this developing story.

"I'm thankful the crew may have been able to regain control of the ship. However the fact that the container ship was seized on waters that have experienced more than 50 other hijackings of a similar nature this year—all but 16 of the ships have safely returned home—calls for continued U.S. and international concern.

"I encourage my fellow Virginians—and Americans from coast to coast—to extend their sympathy and concern to the crewmen and their families in this difficult time."

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