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| MoD vessel 'watched yacht hijack' | |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The crew of a UK military ship watched as a British couple were taken hostage by Somali pirates but were ordered not to open fire, it has emerged. | |
| The RFA Wave Knight did not act for fear of endangering the couple's lives, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. | The RFA Wave Knight did not act for fear of endangering the couple's lives, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. |
| Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55, from Kent, were ordered off their yacht by gunmen in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 23 October. | Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55, from Kent, were ordered off their yacht by gunmen in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 23 October. |
| The Chandlers had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. | The Chandlers had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. |
| Details of the Navy operation were leaked to the press by an anonymous crew member of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship. | Details of the Navy operation were leaked to the press by an anonymous crew member of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship. |
| We did everything we could possibly do without further endangering the lives of Paul and Rachel Chandler Ministry of Defence spokesman | We did everything we could possibly do without further endangering the lives of Paul and Rachel Chandler Ministry of Defence spokesman |
| The crew member revealed that the RFA Wave Knight had come within just 50ft (15m) of the couple's yacht, the Lynn Rival, at one point. | The crew member revealed that the RFA Wave Knight had come within just 50ft (15m) of the couple's yacht, the Lynn Rival, at one point. |
| A MoD spokesman said: "Every effort was made by the Royal Navy and the international maritime fleet to locate the Lynn Rival. | A MoD spokesman said: "Every effort was made by the Royal Navy and the international maritime fleet to locate the Lynn Rival. |
| "We did everything we could possibly do without further endangering the lives of Paul and Rachel Chandler. | "We did everything we could possibly do without further endangering the lives of Paul and Rachel Chandler. |
| "We do not comment on operational detail but RFA Wave Knight did very well under the circumstances." | "We do not comment on operational detail but RFA Wave Knight did very well under the circumstances." |
| The replenishment tanker was carrying 75 merchant seamen and 25 Royal Navy sailors, as well as a helicopter, at the time of the incident. | The replenishment tanker was carrying 75 merchant seamen and 25 Royal Navy sailors, as well as a helicopter, at the time of the incident. |
| An official account of the kidnap released last month said only that a Royal Navy vessel had found the couple's yacht empty, without disclosing that the couple were within sight at the time. | An official account of the kidnap released last month said only that a Royal Navy vessel had found the couple's yacht empty, without disclosing that the couple were within sight at the time. |
| In a phone call on 29 October, the couple, from Tunbridge Wells, said they were initially moved from their yacht to a container ship, the Kota Wajar, which had also been seized by the pirates. | In a phone call on 29 October, the couple, from Tunbridge Wells, said they were initially 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 before being taken to the mainland. | It is thought they were then moved to another ship anchored off the eastern coast of Somalia before being taken to the mainland. |
| The pirates have issued a $7 million (£4.3 million) ransom demand but the British government has insisted it will not make any ransom payment. | The pirates have issued a $7 million (£4.3 million) ransom demand but the British government has insisted it will not make any ransom payment. |