MOGADISHU: Military helicopters flew over Somali pirate lairs and battleships stalked a boat yesterday in which gunmen were holding an American hostage in a five-day high seas standoff.

Armed with assault rifles and a grenade launcher, four pirates and their captive, 53-year-old US ship captain Richard Phillips, were drifting towards land on a lifeboat out of fuel.

Three US warships were watching the situation.