Many people have been asking for an update on Paul and Rachel Chandler considering its been over 60 days since news was last released. Sadly, the Chandlers are still being held captive by the Somali pirates with no indication as to when they may be released.
While we continue to remain focused on helping Paul and Rachel obtain their freedom, we are also concerned about the overall piracy activity in the region. Since insurance companies usually settle these cases without much media involvement, the public is unaware of how rampant this situation has become.
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is currently running a big campaign to fight piracy and to persuade governments to commit resources necessary to end the increasing problem of Somalia-based piracy. Below is a link that will take you to a petition to help move this initiative forward. Please consider signing it!
Tags: ITF, piracy, somalia, the chandlers
I hope these people are released as soon as possible. We should allow ships to arm themselves against these pirates.
http://www.ronpaul.com/2009-04-14/ron-paul-allow-ships-to-defend-themselves-against-pirates/
It has been two months since we heard anything from or about the Chandlers. I am having a really bad feeling that they might not be alive any longer. The kidnappers got part of the ransom and then went quiet.
I really hope they are still alive.
This article (http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65O4B720100625) states that the family paid $430,000 to the pirates in June. Can you confirm this and what the outcome was?
I think the money was paid to someone who kept a finders fee and the rest went to the pirates. Obviously they didn’t release the Chandlers. I am very afraid for their safety. In the past a doctor was allowed to visit with them and examine them. We haven’t heard anything from the Chandlers in 4 months, not since they spoke out very negatively against the pirates.
I hope they haven’t been killed.
Has anyone heard anything about the Chandlers lately? I don’t understand why anyone would hand over almost half a million with nothing written in stone?
Any update would be good
Sam
Good things sometimes happen. One day they will return home to their family where they belong. This we hope and pray for.
How is this fair? the country has forsaken these 2 because there are no benefits politically.
If this was an important business mogul or was a chance to reflect britain’s ability to get jobs done, we would’ve been in a different scenario
I am disgusted by my nation and shame on the media for not broadcasting anymore news. They are our country’s children.
Even the money the friends and family raise, we have no guarentee it will do any change..nearly a year has approached.
I pray for their release but it’s a frustrated prayer..because if the government had balls it would do something but it isn’t. I wish the media took this up and let the people express their opinions..the government would then only wake up.
The UK Government does pay ransoms, just not publicly and will always deny doing so. I suspect the suggested other half of the ransom which was to be paid by the British Somalies was cover for the UK Government paying but something went wrong. No news however is actully good news believe it or not.
It will be a year next week since the Chandlers were kidnapped. I really hope they are ok, together and will be released soon.
I regularly think of the Chandlers and wish them a safe return home as soon as possible. I really hope they are still ok.
It has gone extremely quiet on the news front. I hope that something is happening in the background and this is why we are not being kept upto date. Good luck to them both.
It is quite scandaloud that the Government will spend Billions on bailing out the banks but do nothing for these poor people.
There are many rich people in this country who could donate a small portion of their wealth and help free these people.
Someone needs to negotiate a release fee for these people and get this website to ask for donations and go public BIG TIME.
Let’s hope for their safe release.
its not only the press that have let it drop but this website appears to have been created with the purpose of providing up dates yet has no news either.
What a horrible situation. If the government pay a ransom they are endorsing kidnapping, but how can the Chandlers just be abandoned. They have rights for protection, and just really hope they are still OK and will be released soon.
Im myself a somali hostage in UK Detention centre for 2 years and god knows when i will get my liberty back,I did not commit any any crime,
However,I realy feel sorry for those pensioners, I realy hope they release asas,
But I would like to throw your attention,Britain called it self civilized country,yet I HAVE BEEN CAGED INDIFINATE FOR NOTHING,,where is our human rights or we The Foriengers dehumanised,
Finly i wish paul and rachel well,,
ONE YEAR TODAY!!!
I truly with they would give an update of some sort…so tragic these people have been abandoned by their country or so it seems…
My love and prayers to these people.
Sam
I check on status updates on the Chandlers on a weekly basis. It is horrible they have been kept hostage for this long.
I wish that doctor would insist on seeing them again. I heard from a news reporter that they are indeed still alive and being held out in the desert, but it is very scary to not hear or see them.
I just read the latest article on Paul and Rachel where the pirates say that they will never release them until the entire ransom is paid. It doesn’t matter what amount is given to these hoodlums, they will just increase it. That is supposedly what happened when the family handed over $500,000, the pirates raised the ransom to $1 million. If that is paid, it will be raised once again.
Rachel and Paul are very polite and clever persons. We got to know them as great mates and competent sailors. Ever since they are in the hands of the criminals we search almost every day for news.
We understand that the public is not in favor of yachties (selfish bastards irresponsible people, putting them selfs in danger and let the tax payers pay for them). Maybe we (sailors) sould work a bit on our reputation and point out that Paul and Rachel made a great job in building a temporary yachting station in India. Many local people made very good business and where extremly happy to have a brunch of sailors staying for bad weather season.
We think of Paul and Rachel often and pray for a quick solution to their awful situation. How can it be in such a world of communication that people can just disappear like this?
A new blog posting would be appreciated – even if only to say ‘no news’ again.
As for me, I am in my 50’s and currently a traveller after years of being a worker and paying taxes in my homeland. My mode of transport (4×4 vehicle) may be different from the Chandlers, but we have the same Government and the same ’status’ in that Government’s eyes. I am under no illusion that if my husband and I were ever to find ourselves in a similar position to Paul & Rachel our Government would have a similar response to us as they have to the Chandlers’ situation.
Others may not agree, and were I in the Chandlers’ position, or their family, I may speak differently, but I understand the Government’s view that paying ransoms only increases the likelihood of other kidnaps in the future. The Somali pirates have got used to being paid off by insurers and probably thought this little yacht a soft target, expecting the same easy pay-off. Corporate insurance pay-offs have made the seas more dangerous. Little did the pirates realise at the time the difference in status of the private individual as opposed to corporate interests.
The pirates, are in a catch 22 position. In fact they are facing the same fundamental dilemma as the governments of their victims. If they free Paul & Rachel without a ransom payment then they can expect less sympathy the next time they kidnap a vessel.
I reiterate the comment above: ‘no news is good news’ but let not the country forget Paul & Rachel are still in captivity. By keeping this site up to date it reminds our Government that the public have not forgotten the Chandlers. If the Chandlers and their family must continue to suffer, let it not be in vain. Let’s keep their names in the news, this can surely be done without revealing any details or jeopordising any negotiations that may be going on.
And in the meantime, to those who pray, let us pray for Paul & Rachel’s continued strength of spirit, heart, mind and body, now and in the future.
Hi, the reason there has been no updates recently is because a super injunction was imposed on all media houses on reporting on the chandlers status- until they are released.
Off the record- Apparently the ‘good’ guy who is the mayor of adado alias. “president of Adado” may have colluded with the pirates to conspire against the british negotiators duing the money transaction- what really happened nobody knows!
Member of the fouth estate.
I am so happy they are alive and now free. Thank God.
Congratulations! I have been watching this story from Nova Scotia since the beginning! I am so glad that they are now safe and sound!!!
I am very happy for the couple that they are free now.Am was in the hands of Somali pirates for 88 days,(300 days less) let me tell you that it was very tuf.
I hope that one day I can meet them to dicuss our ordeal.Am from Seychelles