Spike TV Goes Pirate Hunting with New Series
Richard Phillips
Talk about perfect timing: A day after the rescue of a U.S. sea captain from Somali pirates, Spike TV has ordered a docu-series detailing the Navy's anti-pirate operations.
Pirate Hunters: USN will focus on the anti-piracy forces in the Gulf of Aden, the same region where Maersk Alabama captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage by Somalians, Variety reports.
The timing of the deal and the end of Phillips' five-day standoff was purely coincidental, as negotiations were ongoing for months, said Rasha Drachkovitch, president of 44 Blue Prods., the company behind Pirate Hunters.
As part of the deal, the Navy has permitted cameras aboard the USS San Antonio and the USS Boxer, which was on the scene during the weekend rescue. Two crews of three people will also be aboard each ship to document all the high-seas action.
