Family of kidnapped sailors refuse politician offer to pay ransom

7:43 PM Sat 27 Feb 2010 GMT

'last known photo of Rachel Chandler' .

In an extraordinary rejection, this week relatives of cruising sailors Paul and Rachel Chandler refused the offer by a politician to pay the ransom to free the Chandlers and implored instead that he 'Wait and pray.'

The conversation was reported in the local news in Kent, the home county of the Chandlers. After the exchange the politician, election coordinator of the English Democrats William Tilling, said, after that advice, he 'readily agreed.' Tilling had been prepared to defy the government line of not paying ransoms and break the deadlock by his party launching a public appeal and delivering the cash himself.

The couple have now been held by Somali pirates for four months, and Rachel Chandler is reported by Somali sources to be 'unable to walk even a little way' and be in need of urgent medication. Earlier in the year she had been photographed looking gaunt and pale(see photo), pleading for her release and to be reunited with her husband.

After worldwide protests by the Somali diaspora, some reports have claimed that the pirates have lowered their ransom demands US$7m (?4.5m) to around US$2m (?1.3m).

Kidnappers claim the new figure covers 'expenses' for the 150 guards they have hiding the Chandlers, and the cost of food and vehicles.

The British Government has consistently insisted it will not pay a ransom, and kept details of any negotiations for their release tightly guarded.

The Times quoted a Whitehall security official this week as saying: 'This case is unusual. Unlike seamen kidnapped in the region, the Chandlers are just ordinary holidaymakers without the backing of a big company and the pirates may well be realising this now.'

The couple were kidnapped as they sailed their yacht from the Seychelles towards Tanzania. They were kidnapped under the eyes of British Ship Wave Knight, which did not act to save them for fear of harming them in the process.

Their yacht was left floating and taken back to Britain by the Wave Knight. They are being held separately to avoid the possibility of a raid to free them, and this has been causing the couple extreme additional anxiety.

by Nancy Knudsen

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