The Dai Hong Dan Incident
North Korea once publicly thanked the United States after their sailors worked together to defeat Somali pirates.
Source: Dai Hong Dan incident on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Summary written with AI and checked by a person.
What it is
The Dai Hong Dan incident was a 2007 high-seas battle where the crew of a hijacked North Korean cargo ship fought off Somali pirates with help from a US warship.
How it started
In October 2007, seven Somali pirates boarded the North Korean vessel MV Dai Hong Dan by posing as security personnel. They locked the crew in the engine and steering rooms at gunpoint, demanding a ransom. To stop the vessel reaching a pirate base, two sailors secretly disabled the engine.
How it works
A US Navy destroyer arrived after receiving a distress signal and ordered the pirates to surrender over radio. Encouraged by the warship, the sailors overpowered their guards, took their weapons, and fought a gunfight to retake the bridge. Afterwards, US medical personnel treated wounded North Korean sailors.
The surprise
Despite decades of hostility between the two nations, North Korea published a rare statement thanking the United States for its help and praised their joint effort against terrorism.
Quick question
How did the North Korean crew prevent the pirates from reaching their base?