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| Family pray for yacht hijack pair | Family pray for yacht hijack pair |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| The family of a British couple feared to have been seized by Somali pirates while sailing near the Seychelles said they are praying for their safety. | The family of a British couple feared to have been seized by Somali pirates while sailing near the Seychelles said they are praying for their safety. |
| Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, sent a distress signal on Friday from the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles. | Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, sent a distress signal on Friday from the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles. |
| A possible yacht sighting, about 200 miles to the east of the Somali port of Haradheere, is being investigated. | A possible yacht sighting, about 200 miles to the east of the Somali port of Haradheere, is being investigated. |
| Mr Chandler's sister Jill Marshment said it was "like a bad dream". | Mr Chandler's sister Jill Marshment said it was "like a bad dream". |
| "[I] just can't believe it's happened but I'm afraid it does happen," she said. | "[I] just can't believe it's happened but I'm afraid it does happen," she said. |
| "I'm sure they will come out of it alright... and they will do the best they can. | "I'm sure they will come out of it alright... and they will do the best they can. |
| "They are quite strong people and we just hope and pray that they will be all right." | "They are quite strong people and we just hope and pray that they will be all right." |
| We are treating the sighting very seriously European Union Naval Force Somalia | We are treating the sighting very seriously European Union Naval Force Somalia |
| Mrs Marshment, from Worcestershire, added that the couple would have known about the risk from pirates beforehand and "being sensible people, would have taken that into account". | |
| The European Union Naval Force Somalia said earlier it had located a yacht at about 1500 GMT, but did not want to give the family "false hope". | The European Union Naval Force Somalia said earlier it had located a yacht at about 1500 GMT, but did not want to give the family "false hope". |
| "One of the ship's helicopters involved in the investigation saw a yacht towing a pirate's skiff [a small boat]," said the spokesman. | "One of the ship's helicopters involved in the investigation saw a yacht towing a pirate's skiff [a small boat]," said the spokesman. |
| "As light was fading, it was impossible to identify it. It was the first yacht we've seen. It's in the area where we've been looking for this yacht. | "As light was fading, it was impossible to identify it. It was the first yacht we've seen. It's in the area where we've been looking for this yacht. |
| "I don't want to give the family false hope. We are treating the sighting very seriously. There will be at least two European Union Naval Force ships going to investigate." | "I don't want to give the family false hope. We are treating the sighting very seriously. There will be at least two European Union Naval Force ships going to investigate." |
| Paul Chandler's sister Jill Marshment: "It's like a bad dream" | Paul Chandler's sister Jill Marshment: "It's like a bad dream" |
| Mr and Mrs Chandler were heading for Tanzania in their yacht the Lynn Rival. | Mr and Mrs Chandler were heading for Tanzania in their yacht the Lynn Rival. |
| A pirate called Hassan told Reuters news agency: "The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean." | A pirate called Hassan told Reuters news agency: "The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean." |
| The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, he added. | The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, he added. |
| A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said it could not confirm whether pirates were involved. | A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said it could not confirm whether pirates were involved. |
| Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the couple's distress beacon was activated at 2300 BST on Friday. | Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the couple's distress beacon was activated at 2300 BST on Friday. |
| They were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania when they used the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. | They were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania when they used the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. |
| The route would have taken the couple near Somali waters which are notorious for pirate attacks on ships and smaller boats. | The route would have taken the couple near Somali waters which are notorious for pirate attacks on ships and smaller boats. |
| Paul and Rachel Chandler were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands | Paul and Rachel Chandler were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands |