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Ransom demanded for yacht couple | Ransom demanded for yacht couple |
(10 minutes later) | |
Somali pirates who have kidnapped a couple from Kent have issued a ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) in a call to the BBC. | |
Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55, from Tunbridge Wells, were taken hostage by gunmen in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 23 October. | |
They had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles and their yacht was later found in international waters. | They had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles and their yacht was later found in international waters. |
The caller said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them." | The caller said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them." |
He added: "We only need a little amount of $7m." | He added: "We only need a little amount of $7m." |
He said the couple had been captured by "our brothers who patrol the coast". | He said the couple had been captured by "our brothers who patrol the coast". |
Explaining the decision to set the ransom at $7m, the caller said: "Nato operations had a lot of negative impact here. | Explaining the decision to set the ransom at $7m, the caller said: "Nato operations had a lot of negative impact here. |
"They have destroyed a lot of equipment belonging to the poor local fishermen. | "They have destroyed a lot of equipment belonging to the poor local fishermen. |
"They arrest fishermen and destroy their equipment. | "They arrest fishermen and destroy their equipment. |
"In defiance to our local administrations, they illegally transfer the fishermen to their own prisons and prisons of other countries. | "In defiance to our local administrations, they illegally transfer the fishermen to their own prisons and prisons of other countries. |
"So when you consider the damage and all the people affected we say the amount is not big." | "So when you consider the damage and all the people affected we say the amount is not big." |
The BBC's East Africa Correspondent Will Ross said the pirates had held talks for several hours in Haredere on the Somali coast. | The BBC's East Africa Correspondent Will Ross said the pirates had held talks for several hours in Haredere on the Somali coast. |
He said they were trying to agree how much money they wanted for the release of the pair. | He said they were trying to agree how much money they wanted for the release of the pair. |
The couple's empty yacht was found during counter-piracy operations | |
He added that in previous cases pirates had begun negotiating with an extremely high figure, and then settled for far less. | He added that in previous cases pirates had begun negotiating with an extremely high figure, and then settled for far less. |
Earlier, Somali premier Omar Sharmarke said government officials were trying to explain to the pirates the couple could offer no commercial reward and they only had their boat, the Lynn Rival. | Earlier, Somali premier Omar Sharmarke said government officials were trying to explain to the pirates the couple could offer no commercial reward and they only had their boat, the Lynn Rival. |
He said the government was doing what it could for the hostages. | He said the government was doing what it could for the hostages. |
The UK government's emergency committee Cobra has met in the Cabinet Office to discuss the kidnapping. | The UK government's emergency committee Cobra has met in the Cabinet Office to discuss the kidnapping. |
And the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has been told by Whitehall officials that the government has appointed a hostage negotiator who is on standby to deal with the case. | And the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has been told by Whitehall officials that the government has appointed a hostage negotiator who is on standby to deal with the case. |
Armed Somali pirates boarded the couple's yacht in the Indian Ocean while they slept. | Armed Somali pirates boarded the couple's yacht in the Indian Ocean while they slept. |
The pirates forced the pair to sail towards Somalia. | The pirates forced the pair to sail towards Somalia. |