Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Jessica Buchanan is a kidnapping survivor who spent 93 days held hostage by Somali pirates.
Originally a schoolteacher from the United States, she relocated to Africa to work as an education advisor for a nongovernmental organization. While finishing a routine field mission on October 25, 2011, she was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom. Forced to live outdoors in brutal conditions, Jessica's health deteriorated until she was rescued in a highly classified raid by SEAL Team Six authorized by President Barack Obama.
Buchanan speaks with Business Insider about her abduction and the mental fortitude she needed to develop to stay alive. She also details the high-stakes rescue by SEAL Team Six and the realities of what she terms "surviving survival" — navigating the complexity of PTSD and challenges of reacclimating to normal life after intense trauma.
In 2013, Buchanan coauthored "Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six." She is also the author of 2025's "How to Survive Survival."
For more from Jessica Buchanan:
jessbuchanan.com
amazon.com/dp/B0FPHZ6BZP?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&bestFormat=true
Read "Pirates held her hostage for 93 days. She says surviving taught her what really matters when life falls apart": bit.ly/4bQTDKc
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:36 - The Capture
00:06:08 - The Separation
00:09:34 - The Mole
00:10:25 - The Ransom
00:16:46 - Open-Air-Prison
00:21:09 - The Captors
00:31:40 - The Mental Toll
00:37:51 - The Emergency
00:41:24 - The Rescue
00:47:00 - The Recovery
00:51:12 - The Aftermath
00:56:28 - The Future
01:03:00 - Credits
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#hostagerescue #hostagesituation #sealteam6 #abductions #somalipirates #authorizedaccount
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How Hostage Escapes Actually Work | Authorized Account | Insider
Jessica Buchanan is a kidnapping survivor who spent 93 days held hostage by Somali pirates.
Originally a schoolteacher from the United States, she relocated to Africa to work as an education advisor for a nongovernmental organization. While finishing a routine field mission on October 25, 2011, she was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom. Forced to live outdoors in brutal conditions, Jessica's health deteriorated until she was rescued in a highly classified raid by SEAL Team Six authorized by President Barack Obama.
Buchanan speaks with Business Insider about her abduction and the mental fortitude she needed to develop to stay alive. She also details the high-stakes rescue by SEAL Team Six and the realities of what she terms "surviving survival" — navigating the complexity of PTSD and challenges of reacclimating to normal life after intense trauma.
In 2013, Buchanan coauthored "Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six." She is also the author of 2025's "How to Survive Survival."
For more from Jessica Buchanan:
jessbuchanan.com
amazon.com/dp/B0FPHZ6BZP?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FTS3T7ZWVRDHAVVS4JQR&bestFormat=true
Read "Pirates held her hostage for 93 days. She says surviving taught her what really matters when life falls apart": bit.ly/4bQTDKc
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:36 - The Capture
00:06:08 - The Separation
00:09:34 - The Mole
00:10:25 - The Ransom
00:16:46 - Open-Air-Prison
00:21:09 - The Captors
00:31:40 - The Mental Toll
00:37:51 - The Emergency
00:41:24 - The Rescue
00:47:00 - The Recovery
00:51:12 - The Aftermath
00:56:28 - The Future
01:03:00 - Credits
------------------------------------------------------
#hostagerescue #hostagesituation #sealteam6 #abductions #somalipirates #authorizedaccount
MORE AUTHORIZED ACCOUNT VIDEOS:
How US Marine Special Ops Actually Work
youtu.be/YwHb_0C8m9E
How TOPGUN Fighter Pilots Actually Work
youtu.be/SQNOWLJp_-g
How Psychopaths Actually Work
youtu.be/bLO_hjZ9IKM
Insider is brought to you by Business Insider is a global newsroom covering business, technology, innovation, and the economy.
Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: businessinsider.com/?utm_source=youtube
Sign up for our newsletters: businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter?utm_source=youtube
Find Business Insider on Facebook: facebook.com/businessinsider
... on Instagram: instagram.com/businessinsider
... on X: https://x.com/BusinessInsider
... on TikTok: tiktok.com/@businessinsider
... on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3VMNsySxP4XDSnEWqkrCGU?si=4da270e9c0174a20
How Hostage Escapes Actually Work | Authorized Account | Insider
