All four American hostages on a yacht taken by pirates off Somalia have been killed, the US military has said.
Negotiations had been under way to try to win release of the two couples on the pirated vessel Quest.
Gunshots were heard.
When US forces reached the yacht, they found all four hostages had been shot, said US Central Command.
The Quest was the home of Jean and Scott Adam, a couple from California who had been sailing around the world since December 2004.
The two others on board were Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, both from Seattle, Washington.
Central Command said negotiations had been under way to try to win their release.
“We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest,” said General James N Mattis.
Two pirates died during the operation, and 13 were captured and detained.
The remains of two other pirates who were already dead also were found. In total the US said that 19 pirates were involved in the hijacking of the Quest.
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