'Pirate Will Kill Us Soon'

The couple's yacht was found in international waters

A British couple kidnapped by pirates have said via video footage that they fear they may be killed within a week.

Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 59 and 55 and from Kent, were taken hostage by Somali gunmen on October 23 as they sailed their yacht in the Indian Ocean.

Pirates then made a ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) in a phone call to the BBC.

In the video obtained by Channel 4 News, Mr Chandler said "they will not hesitate to kill us, perhaps within a week" unless ransom talks begin.

'Losing patience '
Speaking at gunpoint, Mr Chandler says: "This is our 27th day in captivity. So far we have been provided with adequate food and water and facilities, and so we are unharmed and in reasonable physical health.

"Mentally we are under great stress and threatened. Our kidnappers are losing patience. They are concerned that there has been no response at all to their demands for money.

"We ask the government and the people of Britain, and our families, to do whatever you can to at least open negotiations with these people about money, so perhaps our lives can be brought back.

"We have been threatened that there is a terrorist gang at large in the country looking for us. We are also concerned that these people will lose patience and will not feed us.

"And I have no doubt that they will not hesitate to kill us in a week or so from now if there is no response. So, please somebody get in touch otherwise we just sleep-walk to a tragic ending."

Mrs Chandler also spoke directly to the camera and with a gun pointed to her head.

She said: "We are under threat and we are told that we will not be fed and given water, so we are very concerned about the future.

"Our captors are very impatient now that nobody has been in touch to enter into negotiations.

"So we ask the government and the people of Britain and our family, to do whatever they can to enter into negotiations with these people to buy back our lives.

"As Paul has said we are told that there is a terrorist cell, or a fanatic cell, searching for us and we are also feeling very much under threat now that these people themselves won't hesitate to take our lives."

The Foreign Office has said the couple are "blameless tourists" but that no payment will be made nor advice given to relatives on how to make a payment.

After the footage was aired, the Foreign Office issued a statement expressing sympathy for the victims' families, but reiterating its position.

A spokesman said: "The UK government position is clear: we do not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including ransoms."

The Chandlers, of Tunbridge Wells, had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles.

Armed pirates boarded the Chandler's yacht, the Lynn Rival, in the Indian Ocean while they slept. Their yacht was later found in international waters.

Source: BBC