Couple kidnapped by pirates - update?

[Tarot]

Does anyone know what has happened to the couple that was yachting off the African coast, then captured by pirates. I believe it was a year ago. Have they still got them. If so what is the goverment doing to secure their release.?

[DJKillaQueen]

Funnily enough I was thinking exactly the same thing a couple of weeks ago. It suddenly went quiet.

[DJKillaQueen]

Paul and Rachel Chandler it seems are still being held captive. There's a website called savethechandlers, but it hasn't been updated since July.

[Tarot]

This poor couple could be anyones old mum and dad, I bet they pray every day that the y have not been forgotten. But the papers are full of Strictly, X factor. Goverment preening and cutting,slave labour. (whoever let Ian Duncan Smith, have any say,he must be the patsy to take the can back). I digress, itreally does anger me that these people are not free. Those pirates are terrorist after all. What makes them different to the middle eastern types ,I wonder.

[DJKillaQueen]

They are terrorists, that's right. But they want money, rather than to mindlessly kill people. The British government won't pay ransoms to pirates and rightly so because if they did there'd be kinapping of British nationals every week. It's a no win dilemma unfortunately. Hopefully at some point the pirates will release them.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Paul & Rachel Chandler have been released and are safe. Apparently a ransom was paid.

[Huguenot]

I don't wish them ill, and they must have suffered an extremely traumatic experience.

That doesn't escape the fact that to be sailing in those waters on a holiday cruise was so vain, self-indulgent and self-absorbed that it beggars belief.

Through this cretinous junket not only have they traumatised friends and family and created diplomatic havoc, but they also undoubtedly risked the life of people in the services who would have been tasked with finding them.

Glad that they're safe and sound? Yes. Heroes? No, stupid selfish arseholes.

[DJKillaQueen]

H you know nothing about them to call them selfish.

[Huguenot]

They put themselves in extremely hostile waters for the sake of a lesiure cruise.

They risked their own lives, risked the immense trauma to friends and family, risked the lives of people in the British services. If you don't think that's selfish then you have a moral compass issue you need to address, pookie.

[nashoi]

The British government won't pay ransoms to pirates and rightly so because if they did there'd be kinapping of British nationals every week

Is there actually much evidence for this though? Most other countries pay and I haven't read about their citizens being targeted as a result. I suspect people become victims because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, nationality has nothing to do with it.

[Tarot]

D.J killer queen what fantastic news ,as for Other comments ,on another post reminds me of Phillip Messenger who once said:"what a pity it is, one that can speak so well, should in his actions be so ill.

[mockney piers]

A bit harsh Huguenot.

From what i recall from articles at the time, they were on their way to one of the mid Indian ocean islands, had cleared their route with the authorities that deemed it a safe route and were captured something like 200 miles further out than any previous capture of it's ilk by Somali pirates.

Rather than cretinous it would appear they were just victims of bad luck.

[KidKruger]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11752027

Says they been freed now.

News is 8 mins old according to BBC.

[EDKiwi]

nashoi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The British government won't pay ransoms to

> pirates and rightly so because if they did there'd

> be kinapping of British nationals every week

>

> Is there actually much evidence for this though?

> Most other countries pay and I haven't read about

> their citizens being targeted as a result. I

> suspect people become victims because they are in

> the wrong place at the wrong time, nationality has

> nothing to do with it.

We'd probably never hear anything about it if they did. I was watching a documentary about the Iraq war a couple weeks back, and part of it was about some hostages that were taken and demands were made for money and a couple of prisoners to be released. The hostages were eventually released and although the offical line was no deal was made there were rumors the government did a deal, and interestingly the 2 prisoners they wanted released were released a few days later, offically for other reasons. Read into it what you will.

I was actuially surprised they didn't quietly send the SAS in to get them out, probably just watched too many hollywood movies.

[sedgewick]

They have been freed.

They both look worse for wear obviously, their family and friends have managed to pay a large part of the ransom securing their release.

They are very lucky as I would have thought that they would have perished as they were at the mercy of Somali pirates and the fact the govt don't pay ransoms.

More here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11754357

[DJKillaQueen]

Yes H, unfortunately you are wrong. They were extremely experienced sailors and travellers and had been assured their route was safe, taking all ther necessary advice beforehand. Nothing selfish about that, just two people taking a trip acting on what they thought was the right advice. You really shouldn't be so quick to judge people you know nothing about sometimes.

[Huguenot]

The east coast of Africa isn't the Dodecanese.

They were heading from the Seychelles to Tanzania, and would have been travelling within 200 miles of the Somali border.

Kenya itself was on the verge of a civil war.

They were comfortably on the sout coast of India. They could have chosen a zillion other places to go. They would have received copious warnings from locals in the Seychelles. The authorities would certainly have told them the 'official' reach of piracy, but would also have communicated that this was hardly laid in stone - and would undoubtedly advised them unofficially that they should travel elsewhere.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46617000/gif/_46617719_seych_kidnap_466map.gif

[DJKillaQueen]

But they were advised that their route was fine.

[cate]

I thought they were more like 500 miles away (or more) when they were boarded. Watched some of the reconstruction last night.

[DJKillaQueen]

Apparently a 650k (ish) ransom was paid.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'd be amazed if that opinion was unanimous

[Ridgley]

I think in general, Britt?s abroad needs to be more careful when traveling certain areas of the world especially countries that see British and Americans has the enemy. It is great that the Chandlers are coming home safe but they are the lucky ones not all hostages have a happy ending.

[Santerme]

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I don't wish them ill, and they must have suffered

> an extremely traumatic experience.

>

> That doesn't escape the fact that to be sailing in

> those waters on a holiday cruise was so vain,

> self-indulgent and self-absorbed that it beggars

> belief.

>

> Through this cretinous junket not only have they

> traumatised friends and family and created

> diplomatic havoc, but they also undoubtedly risked

> the life of people in the services who would have

> been tasked with finding them.

>

> Glad that they're safe and sound? Yes. Heroes? No,

> stupid selfish arseholes.

I totally agree with your point of view on this....

Had a rescue attempt been possible they would have endangered other people's lives as well.

Wonder if they will have a book coming out shortly?

[Bicep_Builder]

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2009/05/somali-coast-cruise-package.html

DO WANT

[alice]

isn't there a somalian / british taxi driver who risked his life and negociated the deal - now his is a story i'd like to read