Pirate ships often flew the flag of a friendly country as they sailed toward the ship they planned to rob.

VOA: special.2009.05.24

"Your forces," he wrote, "fired this morning on a civilian ship flying the flag of my government.

VOA: special.2009.07.23

The United States and the flag state of the seized ship would have input into the selection of some of these arbitrators.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Key critics dissect arguments for LOST

The U.S. Coast Guard makes at least one annual safety inspection of ships operating in U.S. waters, regardless of the flag a ship flies, said a coast guard spokesman.

WSJ: Cruise Operators See Shares Fall, Defend Safety

The ship has been flying a Curacao flag, but it will be switched to a Russian flag "in order to avoid a possible detention of the ship, " the state-run Itar-Tass news agency reported.

CNN: Jordan grants asylum to Syrian pilot who defects