4 Americans on yacht hijacked by pirates killed

Ref: Somali pirates hijack US yacht

Four hostages on board a yacht hijacked by pirates last week were killed by their captors, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Tuesday.

The vessel, named the Quest, was being shadowed by the military after being captured by pirates off the coast of Oman on Friday. Officials had said earlier Tuesday it was less than two days from the Somali coast.

Americans Jean and Scott Adam -- the owners of the ship -- and Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, had been traveling with yachts participating in the Blue Water Rally since their departure from Phuket, Thailand.

As negotiations were ongoing with the pirates for the hostages' release, gunfire was heard at about 1 a.m. Tuesday.

As (U.S. forces) responded to the gunfire, reaching and boarding the Quest, the forces discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors. The pirates engaged the U.S. forces on board, leaving two pirates killed in the skirmish and 13 captured and detained.

ORIGINAL SOURCE