US president Barack Obama vowed to “halt the rise of piracy” as shipmates of the rescued American freighter captain called for tough action against Somali bandits.

In a riveting high-seas drama, an unarmed American crew wrested control of their US-flagged cargo ship from Somali pirates and sent them fleeing to a lifeboat with the captain as hostage.

The American crew of a hijacked US-flagged ship retook control of the vessel from Somali pirates today, but the captain was still being held hostage in a lifeboat, according three people on board.