All times in UTC ·
Dashed edge = started before, or continues beyond, this day
Events on Sunday 12 April 2009 1
2009Somali pirates hijack the Maersk AlabamaCaptain Richard Phillips taken hostage and later rescuedSomali pirates seized the US-flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia, taking Captain Richard Phillips hostage in a lifeboat after the crew retook the vessel. US Navy SEAL snipers killed three of the pirates and freed Phillips on 12 April 2009. The incident drew international attention to Somali piracy.