Hostages Rescued by US Navy SEALs



Jessica Buchanan & Poul Hagen Thisted
(Mogadishu, Somalia) U.S. Navy SEALs flew into Somalia last night and rescued two hostages, American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, 60.

In the process, nine pirates were killed.

According to the U.S. officials, two teams of Navy SEALs landed by helicopter near the compound where the two hostages were being held. As the SEALS approached the compound on foot gunfire broke out, the U.S. officials said, and several of the militants were reportedly killed. There is no word that any of the Americans were wounded.

The SEALs gathered up Buchanan and Thisted, loaded them onto the helicopters and flew them to safety at an undisclosed location. The two hostages were not injured during the rescue operation and are reported to be in relatively good condition.

Pirates kidnapped Buchanan and Thisted in October, expecting $10 million in ransom. Expectations went unrealized.