Incident : Shots fired in escape attempt , captain apparently tied up , military sources say . The ship was hijacked some 350 miles off Somalia 's coast , a distance that used to be considered safe for ships navigating in the pirate-infested waters . Crew using other hijacked ships to look for lifeboat as rescue ships arrive . Captain 's escape is viewed as ` ` optimistic sign '' of his vitality . Richard Smith , captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship , is being held by four gunmen .
Incident : Shots fired in escape attempt , captain apparently tied up , military sources say . Crew using other hijacked ships to look for lifeboat as rescue ships arrive . Captain 's escape is viewed as ` ` optimistic sign '' of his vitality . Richard Smith , captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship , is being held by four gunmen .