Among the four American hostages shot and killed by Somali pirates, were 2 South Dakota residents. Jean and Scott Adam were from California, but the traveling retirees have declared residency in South Dakota for the tax status. Negotiations had been under way to try to win the release of the Adam’s and another couple on the pirated vessel when gunfire was heard Monday night. Rapid City lawyer Brian Hagg, who has been in contact with family members, called the Adams Maritime Missionaries who used their yacht to distribute bibles in remote parts of the Fiji islands, Alaska, New Zealand, central America and French Polynesia. But this time they didn’t have any bibles, because in some of those areas it’s illegal to have them. This is the first time U.S. citizens have been killed in pirate attacks plaguing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean for years. Two pirates died during the confrontation and 13 were captured and detained.
(courtesy KOTA, Rapid City)