Captain held captive in lifeboat rescued

The company that owns the American ship seized this week by Somali pirates says the captain that has been held hostage for days has been rescued.

Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart said in a news release that the U.S. government informed the company at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday that Richard Phillips had been rescued. He was to hold a media briefing later Sunday.

Reinhart said the company called Phillips’ wife, Andrea, to tell her the news. He said the crew of the Maersk Alabama was “jubilant” when they received word that Phillips was safe.

Phillips was being held captive on a lifeboat after his ship was boarded by pirates days ago. The rest of the crew and the ship have made it safely to a port in Kenya.