The U.S. Navy has fired warning shots across the bow of a Dutch ship that has been boarded by armed pirates off the coast of Somalia.The USS Carter Hall also fired on three small boats that surrounded the commercial ship, the "Danica White," after her crew messaged for assistance after being boarded by pirates, the Navy said. The incident began Saturday and as of Monday the Danish ship's crew was still believed to be held at gunpoint by an unknown number of pirates who forced the vessel into Somalia's territorial waters. There have been no reports of casualties. The USS Carter Hall remains nearby in international waters, monitoring the situation. The Danish ship, which the Associated Press reported was owned by H. Folmer & Co. of Copenhagen, has not requested further assistance. On Saturday, Jorgen Folmer, a spokesman for the Danish shipping company, said a French naval vessel in the area had confirmed the ship and its crew of five was hijacked but was unable to intervene because it could not enter Somali waters.

Once the crew of the ship has requested aid it shouldn't matter whose waters it is in. What do you tell the familes of the crew of the hijacked ship? "I am so sorry. We had them in sight but they had crossed an imaginary line in the water and we just couldn't help them after that." There is a difference between starting an "International Incident", and helping people who you can see need it.

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