Military of Defense - the Wave Knight- watched as Paul and Rachel Chandler were kidnapped
While this isnt NEW news, its news none-the-less and worthly of posting.
According to a BBC article on Friday November 13th, 2009, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker – the Wave Knight – watched as Paul and Rachel Chandler were forced off their yacht, the Lynn Rival. Details of the Navy operation were leaked to the press by an anonymous crew member. It was revealed that the RFA Wave Knight had come within 50ft of the couple’s yacht at one point.
A Ministry of Defense 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 do not comment on operational detail but RFA Wave Knight did very well under the circumstances.”
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.
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.