Four U.S. hostages Jean and Scott Adam from California and Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle from Seattle

Were shot dead by pirates aboard a private yacht on Tuesday. The incident is one of the deadliest in recent times in the increasingly dangerous waters of Somalia.

U.S. military confirmed that the pirates shot hostages before American Special Forces could board the vessel to rescue the hostages. Two pirates were killed and 15 taken into custody in the clash between the Somalia pirates and American Special Forces. Two more pirates were found dead, however the military confirmed that they were not killed by U.S. forces.

President Barack Obama had authorized the use of force in the case of threat to the hostages as mentioned by White House press secretary Jay Carney.

The end of January saw 750 pirate hostages kidnapped for ransom in the increasingly dangerous waters of Somalia around the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. government was “deeply saddened and very upset by the murder of four American citizens”.