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Government rules out ransom deal | Government rules out ransom deal |
(10 minutes later) | |
The government has insisted it will not make a ransom payment to Somali pirates who have kidnapped a British couple. | The government has insisted it will not make a ransom payment to Somali pirates who have kidnapped a British couple. |
Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55 and from Kent, were taken hostage by gunmen as they sailed their yacht in the Indian Ocean early on 23 October. | Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55 and from Kent, were taken hostage by gunmen as they sailed their yacht in the Indian Ocean early on 23 October. |
A ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) was made in a phone call to the BBC on Friday. | A ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) was made in a phone call to the BBC on Friday. |
The Foreign Office said the couple were "blameless tourists" but said no payment would be made nor advice given to relatives on how to make a payment. | The Foreign Office said the couple were "blameless tourists" but said no payment would be made nor advice given to relatives on how to make a payment. |
A spokesman for the Foreign Office added: "We are aware of reports that a ransom demand of $7m has been made. [Her Majesty's Government] HMG's policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms." | A spokesman for the Foreign Office added: "We are aware of reports that a ransom demand of $7m has been made. [Her Majesty's Government] HMG's policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms." |
'Entirely unjustified' | 'Entirely unjustified' |
The Chandlers, of Tunbridge Wells, had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. Their yacht was later found in international waters. | The Chandlers, of Tunbridge Wells, had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. Their yacht was later found in international waters. |
In the phone call to the BBC one of the pirates said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them - we only need a little amount of seven million dollars." | In the phone call to the BBC one of the pirates said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them - we only need a little amount of seven million dollars." |
Rob Macaire, British High Commissioner, Kenya, told the BBC: "We are not in direct contact with whoever is holding the Chandlers. | Rob Macaire, British High Commissioner, Kenya, told the BBC: "We are not in direct contact with whoever is holding the Chandlers. |
"Our main concern is to make them understand that what they are doing is entirely unjustified and that they should release the Chandlers immediately and unconditionally." | "Our main concern is to make them understand that what they are doing is entirely unjustified and that they should release the Chandlers immediately and unconditionally." |
Armed pirates boarded the Chandler's yacht, the Lynn Rival, in the Indian Ocean while they slept. | Armed pirates boarded the Chandler's yacht, the Lynn Rival, in the Indian Ocean while they slept. |
Mr Chandler's brother-in-law Stephen Collett has previously insisted that the couple are "not rich people" and that most of their money is tied up in their yacht. | Mr Chandler's brother-in-law Stephen Collett has previously insisted that the couple are "not rich people" and that most of their money is tied up in their yacht. |
'Divisions' reported | 'Divisions' reported |
In an interview with the BBC, a local Somali official said through a translator that he believed a number of groups were involved in handling the couple. | In an interview with the BBC, a local Somali official said through a translator that he believed a number of groups were involved in handling the couple. |
He said the pirates had "many cars" and had hired extra people to help them. | He said the pirates had "many cars" and had hired extra people to help them. |
He added that divisions had emerged among the groups and while all wanted a ransom paid, others wanted the release of pirates recently detained by European Union warships. | He added that divisions had emerged among the groups and while all wanted a ransom paid, others wanted the release of pirates recently detained by European Union warships. |
Earlier, the BBC's East Africa Correspondent Will Ross said in previous cases pirates had begun negotiating with an extremely high figure, and then settled for far less. | |
In a phone call on Thursday, the Chandlers said they were first moved from their yacht to a container ship, the Kota Wajar, which had also been seized by the pirates. | In a phone call on Thursday, the Chandlers said they were first moved from their yacht to a container ship, the Kota Wajar, which had also been seized by the pirates. |
It is thought they were then moved to another ship anchored off the eastern coast of Somalia on Friday. | It is thought they were then moved to another ship anchored off the eastern coast of Somalia on Friday. |
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. | 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. |