US acts to beat pirates after captain's rescue

BARACK OBAMA has vowed to halt the rise of piracy as new details about the daring rescue of a US cargo ship captain emerged today.

Mr Obama said he would work with other countries to protect ships being targeted by rogue groups off the coast of Africa.

While military force was not mentioned, US warships from the 5th Fleet are likely to take up position to respond to revenge attacks. Military sources also said the Somali government will be helped to establish a coast guard as a first line of defence. Mr Obama spoke as the wife of the rescued captain, Richard Phillips, 53, said her husband considered the US military the "real heroes" of his ordeal.

Andrea Phillips, 51, thanked the military, supporters and Mr Obama, who approved the sniper operation that killed the three Somali pirates who kept Captain Phillips hostage on a lifeboat of the USS Bainbridge. "You have no idea, but with Richard saved you all gave me the best Easter. These past five days were extremely difficult. We did not know what Richard was enduring, and that was really the hardest part."

Officials revealed the lifeboat was winched closer to the Navy Seals who were lying on the fantail of the ship.