Two Found Dead on "Captain Philips" Ship
According to multiple published reports including Reuters, two U.S. security workers were found dead on the Maersk Alabama, a ship made famous by the Hollywood movie "Captain Phillips" in 2013.
The two men apparently were found dead in a cabin on board the vessel in the afternoon of February 18 in Port of Victoria in the Seychelles. Both reportedly had beeen on board since 29 January.
The Trident Group issued the following prepared statemwnt in the wake of the incident: "It is with great sorrow that Trident Group confirms the death of two Security contractors while onboard a merchant vessel which was pierside in the Seychelles. At the request of the families, the names are not being released. Seychelles authorities are conducting a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding the incident. There is no immediate indication as to the cause of death, but the deaths were not caused by operational activity. The next of kin have asked that no further information be released and requested that all respect the privacy of the families." - Thomas Rothrauff President/CEO
The Maersk Alabama was targeted by Somali pirates in an attempted hijacking off the east coast of Africa in 2009. The 2013 film "Captain Phillips" is based on the incident. Maersk gave no details about how the two men had died.
"The cause of the death for both men is part of the ongoing investigation, but it was not related to vessel operations or their duties as security personnel," its statement said.
Maersk Alabama is part of a U.S.-flagged fleet controlled by Maersk Line Limited, a unit in A.P. Moller-Maersk, which performs military, government and humanitarian missions by transporting cargo on its container, tanker and multi-purpose ships.