when pirates took over mess:00 alabama -- maersk alabama it became the subject of a film. randy reported on that pirate attack in april of 2009. president obama was roused from bed in the middle of the night with the news. the maersk alabama and the crew was carrying food relief to kenya when pirates approached in 60s like these carrying automatic weapons and took the crew hostage. the second in command made a cell phone call to his wife. i said have they tortured you or hurt you. he said they have not had anything to drink or eat. they've been kept in a room, he wasn't safe. the crew regained control of the ship but the pirates took the captain hostage. >> we had one of their hostages, we had a pirate, we took and kept him for 12 hours. we tied him up. we returned him but they didn't return the captain. today is the latest in a spirals surge of piracy off the horn of africa. there's been 60 this year. no one skilled because -- killed because ship owners pay millions of dollars in ransom. this could be different. the biggest mistake they made today they took an american sh