Pirate deal 'blocked' and captured sailor 'getting frail'

by Sail-World Cruising roundup on 6 Dec 2009 A British negotiator has decided to go public because of his frustration with the British Government, whom he accuses of 'playing stupid games' and blocking a potential £100,00 deal that he had negotiated with Somali pirates to free the Chandlers, cruising sailors held captive by pirates since 23rd October this year.

Nick Davis, chairman of the industry anti-piracy organisation, the Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre (MMWC), claimed to the Observer that he had negotiated the deal soon after the couple were seen on the television screens of the world pleading their case. Originally the pirates had claimed a ransom of £4.3 million.

However, the Foreign Office allegedly rejected the deal, saying that they would not allow payments to hostage takers. The money had apparently been raised by negotiating deals for book publication after their release.

The MMWC was set up last year to educate the shipping trade in anti-piracy measures and is funded by industry groups and insurers.

Davis was reported as saying: 'We could have had the Chandlers out weeks ago. The money was available, the pirates were keen to let them go, it was just a case of pushing the button. It was all ready to go. The pirates don't want to keep the Chandlers any longer. It's not good for them either.

'A figure of £100,000 had been agreed on 21st and 22nd November, and put in place. It's still ready the second that I get given the nod. Then I can get them out and we can release the funds and get it to the pirates.'

Davis also said that reports from Somalia suggested that Rachel Chandler, who is 55 and a retired economist, was becoming extremely frail. Her health was under pressure, he said, from constant shuttling between safe houses around the Somalian port town of Haradheere, to prevent the pair being caught by armed Islamist cells. 'She can't cope with this. She's very weak and deteriorating; she's in a bad way and we need to get her home,' he said.

The Chandlers were sailing on their yacht the Lynn Rival from the Seychelles to Tanzania, against the advice of both authorities and fellow cruisers when they were captured by pirates. The abduction happened in full view of a British Naval ship the Wave Knight, who stood by helplessly for fear of harming the Chandlers in a rescue attempt.

While the Chandlers languish in Somalia, their yacht has been taken back to Britain by the Wave Knight, arriving last week. It was driven away from the wharf to a secret location.