Phillips is thought to have been the first American to be taken captive by Somali pirate gangs who have marauded in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean shipping lanes for years.

• 菲利普斯是第一位遭索马里海盗挟持的美国人。多年以来，这帮海上匪徒一直在繁忙的亚丁湾和印度洋远洋运输航线上大肆劫掠。