Captain Richard Phillips is an American merchant mariner known for his role as the captain of the MV Maersk Alabama, a cargo ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in April 2009. His leadership during the crisis and subsequent rescue operation by the U.S. Navy garnered significant media attention and highlighted the dangers faced by commercial shipping in piracy-prone waters. Following the hijacking, Phillips was taken hostage but ultimately rescued in a dramatic operation. His experiences were later depicted in the 2013 film titled Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, which brought further awareness to maritime security issues and the complexities of piracy.