Obama follows pirate attack on U.S. cargo ship closely: advisor

Source: Xinhua | 04-09-2009 08:18

WASHINGTON, Apr. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is following the pirate attack on a U.S. cargo ship off Somali coast closely, his foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pentagon officials said a U.S. warship is on its way to the scene.

The U.S. flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama was attacked by four pirates about 500 kilometers off Somalia's coast earlier Wednesday.

After a 12-hour standoff, the ship's crew has retaken control of the ship from pirates, but its captain is being held hostage, the ship's second officer told CNN.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei