Boxer sailing toward area of pirate standoff

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Boxer sailing toward area of pirate standoff

By Anne Gearan - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 10, 2009 14:50:23 EDT

WASHINGTON — The Navy is moving an amphibious ship closer to the scene of the pirate hostage standoff off Somalia.

Defense officials say the amphibious assault ship Boxer will be nearby soon. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive ship movements.

The Boxer is the flag ship for a multination anti-piracy task force. The Boxer resembles a small aircraft carrier. It has a crew of more than 1,000, a mobile hospital, missile launchers and about two dozen helicopters and attack planes.

Two other Navy ships are expected to remain much closer to the pirate-held lifeboat. The destroyer Bainbridge is in sight of the lifeboat; the frigate Halyburton is nearby. The Bainbridge uses drones to keep watch on the lifeboat. The Halyburton has helicopters.

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The Navy is moving the amphibious assault ship Boxer, shown last year off the coast of California, closer to the scene of the pirate hostage standoff off Somalia.

AP The Navy is moving the amphibious assault ship Boxer, shown last year off the coast of California, closer to the scene of the pirate hostage standoff off Somalia.

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