According to news posting by CNN, it appears the Somali pirates who are holding hostage the British sailors Paul and Rachel Chandler are close to killing them.
Repeated responses from the British Government have stated that they will not participate in negotiations with pirates. While the ransom was first set at $7 million, several weeks ago the pirates agreed to a much lessor amount of $100,000. The funds were raised however the exchange was blocked by the government.
CNN affiliate ITN has reported in separate telephone interviews that the couple pleaded for help and said they were fearful of being days away from death.
During the conversation with Rachel Chandler, she said “dying would actually be an easy way out” and that she wanted to see Paul “at least once before we die.” She also told the reporter that she had not seen her husband for two weeks since they were violently separated.
“I’ve broken a tooth because I was hit on the head with something, probably the butt of a gun…I don’t know…and yes, so we have been physically attacked.”
Rachel continued to say, “They’ve just told me that if they dont get the money within for or five days they’ll kill one of us.”
In tears, she asked for a message to be passed along to her husband. “The message to him is hang on for me because I hope – my biggest hope – is that I shall see him at least once before we die.”
She added: “It’s hard not to feel , well, dying would actually be an easy way out. It’s hard to explain but it is when you’re all on your own in this country and you’ve no idea where you are and no idea when something might happen and whether I’ll see Paul again. It’s just very, very despairing”
During a separate telephone interview one day earlier, Paul Chandler, 59, described how they were separated and savagely beaten.
“We tried to stay together and they threw us to the ground and whipped us and beat Rachel with a rifle butt and I was dragged off, taken to a different location.”
“I was allowed to telephone her about 12 days ago. She said she was being tormented all the time and then she said she was giving up. They’ve lost patience. They set a deadline of three or four days, if they don’t hear, then they say they will let us die.”
“We’re held in solitary confinement effectively. You know it’s just [like being] treated as a captive animal.”
It was not clear under what conditions the captives, who have been in sporadic telephone and video contact with journalists, had been allowed telephone access. ITN said both conversations had been shared with the British Home Office and his family.
Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s official line on hostages says “the government will not make substantive concession for hostage takers, including the payments of ransom.”
Pirates have been very active off the east coast of Africa in the past several years, operating out of lawless Somalia.
Last week, pirates attempted to hijack an Indian crude oil vessel 105 nautical miles from Somalia, the EU’s anti-piracy naval force said. The pirates opened fire on the ship and were later arrested.
Piracy on the high-seas reached a six-year high in 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau, which monitors shipping crimes.
Relatives of the British couple held hostage by Somali pirates have welcomed reports that they could soon be released.
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