Captain held captive in lifeboat rescued, says shipping company

Norfolk, Virginia: The company that owns the American ship seized last week by Somali pirates says the captain that has been held hostage for days has been rescued.

US officials saidPhillips was freed unharmed on Sunday in a swift firefight that killed three of the four pirates who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa.

Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart said in a news release that the US government informed the company around 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT) on Sunday that Richard Phillips had been rescued. He was to hold a media briefing later on Sunday.

Reinhart said the company called Phillips' wife, Andrea, to tell her the news. He said the crew of the Maersk Alabama was "jubilant" when they received word that Phillips was safe.

Phillips was being held captive on a lifeboat after his ship was boarded by pirates days ago. The rest of the crew and the ship have made it safely to a port in Kenya.

Maersk: Captain grateful to US Navy

Reinhart later said Richard Phillips' rescue is a great moment for the nation.

The boss of the shipping captain rescued from Somali pirates said his employee is deferreing credit for the rescue to the US Navy and other government agencies.

At a news conference, Reinhart says he talked to Phillips on the phone and also read a quote from Phillips in which the captain said: "John, I'm just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the Seals, those who have brought me home."