(S (S (BASENP (NNS Officials)) (VP (VBD said) (SBAR (IN that) (S (BASENP (NNS pirates)) (VP (VP (VBD tried) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB flee) (PP (IN in) (BASENP (DT the) (NN dark))))))) (CONJP (COMMA ,) (CC but)) (VP (VBD were) (VP (VBN caught) (PP (IN by) (BASENP (DT a) (JJ Canadian) (NN vessel)))))))))) (PERIOD .))