Key facts
- Jessica Buchanan, a former teacher and humanitarian aid worker, was kidnapped by Somali pirates in 2011.
- She endured 93 days of captivity, living outdoors in harsh conditions.
- Buchanan's health significantly declined during her ordeal.
- She was rescued by SEAL Team Six in a covert operation.
- Buchanan has authored books about her experience and the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jessica Buchanan, an author and humanitarian aid worker, detailed her experience of being held hostage by Somali pirates for 93 days. Originally a teacher from the United States, Buchanan was working as an education advisor in Africa when she was abducted at gunpoint on October 25, 2011, during a routine field mission. She described enduring brutal outdoor conditions that led to a deterioration of her health. Her ordeal concluded with a highly classified rescue operation by SEAL Team Six, authorized by President Barack Obama. Buchanan has since written about her experiences, including the mental fortitude required to survive, the details of her rescue, and the subsequent challenges of navigating PTSD and reacclimating to normal life. She co-authored "Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six" in 2013 and authored "How to Survive Survival" in 2025.