On April 8, 2009, four Somali pirates boarded Maersk Alabama when she was located 240 nmi (440 km; 280 mi) southeast of the Somalia port city of Eyl.

The crew later used "brute force" to overpower one of the pirates,[13] Abduwali Muse, and free one of the hostages, Abu Thair Mohd Zahid Reza.

[17] Maersk Alabama then departed from the area with an armed escort, towards her original destination in Mombasa, Kenya, with the vessel's Chief Mate Shane Murphy in charge.

[18] Meanwhile, a standoff had begun on April 9 between Bainbridge and the pirates in Maersk Alabama's lifeboat, where they continued to hold Captain Phillips hostage.

[19] Three days later, on Sunday, April 12, Navy marksmen opened fire and killed the three pirates on the lifeboat, and Phillips was rescued in good condition.

[20][21] Bainbridge captain Commander Frank Castellano, with prior authorization from U.S. President Barack Obama, ordered the action after determining that Phillips' life was in immediate danger, based on reports that a pirate was pointing an AK-47 assault rifle at his back.

[22][23][24] U.S. Navy SEAL snipers on Bainbridge's fantail opened fire, killing the three pirates with bullets to the head.

[26] A fourth pirate, Abduwali Muse, aboard the Bainbridge and negotiating for Phillips' release while being treated for an injury sustained in the takeover of Maersk Alabama, surrendered and was taken into custody.

[26][27] The actual lifeboat in which Captain Phillips was held hostage is now on display at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Ft. Pierce, FL.

At 6:30 a.m. on November 18, 2009, Maersk Alabama was reportedly sailing some 350 nautical miles (650 km) east of Somalia when she was fired upon by four pirates wielding automatic weapons and traveling in a skiff.

The security forces on board Maersk Alabama repelled a skiff with five pirates approximately 1,530 kilometres (950 mi) east of Somalia.

[37] At midnight on 14 May 2011, while transiting westbound in the internationally recognized corridor, Maersk Alabama was approached by a skiff of five pirates on the starboard stern.

[39] Seychelles police officials reported that the autopsy found the cause of death to be "respiratory failure, with suspicion of myocardial infarction (heart attack)."