Captain Phillips: Hollywood Story, Real Life Ordeal

Vermont Public | By Patti Daniels,

Ric Cengeri, Jane Lindholm

Published October 15, 2013 at 12:00 PM EDT

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FILE - This April 13, 2009 file photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows a team from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer towing the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama to Boxer to be processed for evidence after the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips.

AP/U.S. Navy, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon Rasmussen

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Police escort the Somali pirate Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse into FBI headquarters in New York on April 20, 2009. Muse was the sole surviving suspect from the hostage-taking of Cpt. Richard Phillips from the Maersk Alabama.

AP/Louis Lanzano

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FILE - In this April 11, 2009 file photo, the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama, arrives in Port of Mombasa, Kenya.

AP/Sayyid Azim

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Mia Russin signs a huge card posted on a barn across the street from the home of former hostage Richard Phillips in Underhill, April 17, 2009.

AP/Jim Cole

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Capt. Richard Phillips walks with his family after arriving on a plane in South Burlington, April 17, 2009. From left, his mother, Virginia, his son, Daniel, his daughter, Mariah, Phillps, and his wife, Andrea.

AP/Toby Talbot

Captain Richard Phillips was held hostage by Somali pirates four years ago, an experience that’s now a major movie starring Tom Hanks. His cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama, was the target of pirates off the coast of Somalia in April 2009. Tuesday on Vermont Edition, we talk with Richard and Andrea Phillips about how true to life the big screen version of his story is, and what was unfolding at home in Underhill while Captain Phillips was held hostage off the Somali coast. Also in the discussion, Alison Kosakowski-Conant describes how her role in Maersk's public relations office turned into a life-changing stay with the Phillips family in Vermont.

Have you seen the film, or remember Phillips’ story? Email your comments and questions to vermontedition@vpr.net

Also in the program, traffic safety among young and old drivers. Vermont drivers over 65, along with new teen-age drivers, have the highest crash rates per miles driven. We discuss what can be done to curb those statistics with Sergeant Garry Scott, a member of the State Police Traffic Safety Unit. Scott will be teaching a free class for elder drivers Thursday in Burlington.

Broadcast on Tues 10/15/13 at Noon & 7PM: