Sailing couple speak of kidnapping ordeal
Paul and Rachel Chandler
Also In The News
|
The FTSE 100 dropped over two per cent on Wednesday. |  |
Thursday, 29, Oct 2009 05:42
By Richard James.
The British couple kidnapped by Somali pirates have described the moment armed men boarded their yacht.
Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, from Kent, had been sailing in the Seychelles when they went missing last week.
Pirates operating in the area announced they had taken the pair and Mr Chandler has now spoken to journalists about the ongoing hostage situation.
Speaking to ITV news by phone, he said: "I was asleep and men with guns came aboard.
"I was off watch. I was asleep and men with guns came aboard. It was on Friday last week at 02:30am [local time]."
Reports suggest the couple were forced by the pirates to sail their yacht towards Somalia after boarding and taking control of the boat.
According to the BBC, Mr Chandler claims he and his wife are being held hostage on a container ship called the Kota Wajah. However, there are other reports the pair have now been taken onto land.
It's believed no ransom has yet to be requested.
Earlier today the Ministry of Defence confirmed the yacht belonging to the British couple had been found in international waters on Wednesday with no-one on board.
A statement said: "The MOD can confirm that during counter-piracy operations overnight a Royal Navy ship encountered the yacht owned by Paul and Rachel Chandler. It was found in international waters.
"Paul and Rachel Chandler were not on board the yacht and we do not have any reason to believe they have been harmed.
"Royal naval vessels operating with our international partners under EU, Nato and combined maritime forces will continue to play a full role in efforts to secure Paul and Rachel's release."
Relatives of the Chandlers met the Somali prime minister Omar Sharmarke in London on Wednesday in the hope of encouraging his government to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
One of the men claiming to have taken the pair told Sky News any attack on the pirates would put the British couples' lives in danger.