|
JOBS | DATING | PROPERTY | SHOPPING |
|
|
THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 09 2010 17:32 | LAST UPDATED Feb 09 2010 17:32 |
|
A British couple kidnapped by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean said in afilm broadcast on Friday their captors were losing patience and that they feared they would be killed within a week. Shown flanked by gunmen, in the first such footage since they were taken on October 23, Paul and Rachel Chandler said they had been provided with adequate food and water and were in reasonable physical health, but their lives were under threat. The pirates have demanded a $7-million ransom for the couple, both in their 50s, who were kidnapped while they sailed their 12m yacht Lynn Rival in international waters north of the Seychelles. It is believed they are being held close to the coastal Somali town of Haradheere. "Our kidnappers are losing patience, they are concerned that there has been no response at all to their demands for money," Paul said in the footage, shown on Channel 4 news. "I have no doubt they will not hesitate to kill us, perhaps within a week or so of now if there is no response. So please somebody get in touch otherwise we just sleepwalk to a tragic ending," he added, visibly choking up. His wife added: "We are told we will not be fed and given water so we are very concerned about our future." The pirate gangs -- some made up of former fishermen angered by the presence of foreign fishing fleets in Somali waters -- and their backers in Somalia and abroad have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms, usually by seizing cargo ships. In the video, which was filmed on Wednesday, the Chandlers said they had been told they were also under threat from a Somali terrorist cell which is hunting for them.  CONTINUES BELOW The British Foreign Office said they were aware of the film. "Any such video will be distressing for the family," it said in a statement. "The UK government's policy is clear: we do not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms. These are innocent tourists. We seek the immediate release of Paul and Rachel." Pirates have plagued the busy shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia for several years. Foreign warships from 16 nations are patrolling the area to try to prevent hijacks, but pirates still prey on ships far out in the Indian Ocean. - Reuters TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
Jy Wilmos on November 21, 2009, 10:48 am
click here to log in
M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief
Advertising Links
|
2,3-million titles to choose from.
iPod nano 16GB - Black, Was R2,499.00 Now R2,299.00! Save R200!
46 000 DVDs and Blu-Ray on sale now!
100s of new releases now in stock. Get the new Sade & Bon Jovi albums.
Widest toy range and unbeatable prices!
AdvertisementsAdvertising links |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 comment
Make us your home page | Add our headlines to your site | Desktop news with NewsFlash
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
 |  |  |
There is a reason why no-one takes hostages in Britain - because of the Iranian embassy operation. The same lesson needs to be extended to the world: there are only two possible end-games in a hostage situation. 1. That the hostages are released unconditionally; 2. That an armed assault by elite soldiers will be made to attempt to release them, and that people, mostly the hostage-takers, will be killed.