A look inside a lifeboat amid the hostage crisis off Horn of Africa

[0:02] ..." similar to one now occupied by captain Richard Phillips and four armed Somali pirates. Talking with general Rick Gordon of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy ever Kernen we heard in a very tight space here that it holds 56 people for our radio audience can you can"...

[0:54] ..." Well first of all it's been a number of days so the Somali pirates aren't utterly exhausted there's no place to sleep there's no bids this notion -- there's no running water there's no head. So"...

[1:25] ..." wonder to what made him think that he could swim to the Cambridge. On shorts not far away the main bridges got to have the lifeboat illuminated night and day. They're not going to get"...

[1:56] ..." to the outside air. That sniper would have to have all four Somali -- in the cross hairs. Fire at the same time otherwise you gonna endanger hostage this is not an open vote makes"...

[5:03] ..." an analogy we can't put a policeman on every corner in the Indian Ocean you can't put a worship every ten miles. It would be difficult to get into convoy operations like we -- possible but"...

[5:51] ..." they would they would board ships. They weren't is -- to Somali pirates have gotten. But it was a real problem. Insurance rates are going up sailors -- being killed. In the international community put"...

[0:00]" This is WBZ is Lana Jones insight to life -- similar to one now occupied by captain Richard Phillips and four armed Somali pirates. Talking with general Rick Gordon of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy ever Kernen we heard in a very tight space here that it holds 56 people for our radio audience can you can describe. --"

[0:20]" we're not fiber glass cocoon. It's grade there are seats with straps. Surrounding us does it diesel engine asked. But it's designed. In an emergency to save lives and get them away from a sinking ship it's not pleasure vessel. You're not it's not designed to spend any length of time here it's it's going to be uncomfortable. If you're claustrophobic this is not for you. There are catches all over the place it is speculate for me how captain Phillips managed to see his brief escape. Well first of all it's been a number of days so the Somali pirates aren't utterly exhausted there's no place to sleep there's no bids this notion -- there's no running water there's no head. So when you're exhausted you fall asleep and I think that he probably attempted to slip out at midnight when it was dark. And 11 of them woke up. There are two hatches on on the port side start at side -- chips. There's hatch asked and -- forward that allows you to disconnect the life -- from the falls which lowered from a from the ship. I have to wonder to what made him think that he could swim to the Cambridge. On shorts not far away the main bridges got to have the lifeboat illuminated night and day. They're not going to get more than a hundred yards from it. And we got an FBI yet former FBI in. And higher this morning speculating that if they can get within a thousand meters. Snipers could take somebody which is non it's impossible. These are covered votes is very small move areas where they would be exposed to the outside air. That sniper would have to have all four Somali -- in the cross hairs. Fire at the same time otherwise you gonna endanger hostage this is not an open vote makes most people think of -- life what to think that Titanic. These are covered fiberglass. Cocoons. Very difficult to get off course and Molly's in your sights at the same time. And we Eric Kraft it's what about which is 38 feet this is about 38 feet long about twelve feet wide host 56 people the one that captain Phillips is and his. Probably two thirds the size. A standard international maritime. Organization rules for life -- here bright orange they're covered. And there are in their heart firm -- they're made. Two withstand very heavy seas they're made so that if it rolls over it rights itself. But none of the -- it's an. We do this inside and underneath all of the seats here there are food stored there's canned water stored. It's designed to be stable for six months to a year at a time. There's there's no. Beef -- on here this is since. -- Rations and we're hearing that they've ran out of gas or are running out of kids. It doesn't carry much fuel anyway it's supposed to only go about a hundred miles. But he can only move its six -- the -- would undoubtedly have kept it from going anywhere but not sure if the -- didn't work or captain Phillips was. Not able. In quotes to get it running. You know. The pirates when they were surrounded by the American. Warship quickly realized that fleeing was futile and into the bay bridge can do 35 knots to -- spoken to six months trying to contact so this thing is pretty much a drifter. Absolutely it's bubbling the court -- tamales begin to realize that they have no cards to play him I think after a few more days of being an electrical like this jail will look like to step up. With."

[4:07]" It in your experience in your studies it will they give up there are so many that they've already taken. Seated differences that they're holding the other ships in the other crews hostage in Somalia they're holding the cards there. The only way you're going to see them is to pay the ransom and have proven that that's a good business model for them and -- 110 million dollars one rumor in the last year. That model fell apart. When they are with the captain Phillips in the ocean surrounded by American warships that model doesn't work anymore so now you're dealing with thieves who have been cut. Thieves are not about to lay down their life for a cause these these are not Q hi this people think of them as terrorists could just be used to ply their trade at water. For your favorite having that aren't members of the crew. I am. I believe that with the proper training. Small arms can turn pirates. There. Is no way that we can put to use an analogy we can't put a policeman on every corner in the Indian Ocean you can't put a worship every ten miles. It would be difficult to get into convoy operations like we -- possible but difficult and dangerous ships don't like operating in close proximity to each other. Merchant ships -- Even trained navy officers find that challenging. So we the only options left are truly arming the crew or putting armed guards on board. This -- need to be a change in international maritime line. Not think international maritime law are fits pretty well the problem is there's there's nobody in Somalia to take control of this. Some years ago pirate haven was Indonesia. There were lots of pirates are operating from the jungles they were snatch and grab they would they would board ships. They weren't is -- to Somali pirates have gotten. But it was a real problem. Insurance rates are going up sailors -- being killed. In the international community put great pressure on the Indonesian government to clean up that. Act and they did they boosted their Coast Guard they boosted their navy -- boosted patrols. They've boosted jurisdiction. In judges and all of that and they were successful and the pirate scourge has. Faded away to. Almost nothing. This nobody to put pressure on in Somalia that you know that's like trying to nail jello to a tree. There's nobody going to listen to you there's nobody that has the power to act. That's a long term international problem that pirates are present and clear and present danger."