A gang of thugs hijack an oil tanker and are prepared to kill the crew who are taken hostage. Among the hijackers is an expert marksman and in hurricane conditions the authorities are not confident that the local coastguard marksmen have the ability to take out the hijackers. With the tanker about to leave US waters, where their jurisdiction ends and the hostages will no longer be needed, they hire Golgo 13 to take clean house.