The American ship captain held hostage by Somali pirates will return to the United States with his crew Wednesday.

Maersk Line Limited said Tuesday that Captain Richard Phillips and the 19 crewmembers are expected to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland late Wednesday on a chartered flight from Mombasa, Kenya.

Last week, the pirates recaptured the captain after an unsuccessful attempt to escape. He was taken hostage on a lifeboat for few days.

The captain was freed Sunday after the U.S. Navy snipers killed three pirates who held him captive. He was finally taken aboard the Norfolk, Va-based USS Bainbridge.

The remaining 19 American crewmembers disembarked from the ship Tuesday morning and moved to a nearby seaside hotel in Mombassa, Kenya where they will reunion and come together back to the United States.

Kenya