Latest Channel 4 News:
Row over Malaysian state's coins
'Four shot at abandoned mine shaft'
Rain fails to stop Moscow wildfires
Cancer blow for identical twins
Need for Afghan progress 'signs'

Pirate kidnap couple new plea for help

By Channel 4 News

Updated on 31 January 2010

The British couple kidnapped by Somali pirates from their yacht in the Indian Ocean say they are not being treated well and begged for help. Benjamin Cohen reports.

Rachel and Paul Chandler

Paul and Rachel Chandler, who were seized in October, were seen by a doctor on Thursday who said they were both in poor health.

In a video plea, Mr Chandler said: "I just want to say please to my government get me and my wife out of here.

"We are innocent, we have done no wrong. We have no money and we can't pay a ransom. We just need the government to help, anyone who can help us out of here.

"Day after day and this is 98 days of solitary confinement, no exercise. I don't know what to do.

"Will somebody please help? The government or somebody else."

It follows a similar appeal made by the couple in a video obtained by Channel 4 News in November.

A doctor was seen examining retired quantity surveyor Mr Chandler, 60, who is reportedly in a better state than his wife.

Reports claim the medic found Mrs Chandler, 56, in poor mental health, calling out for her husband.

Dr Mohamed Helmi Hangul said: "She is sick, she is very anxious, she suffers from insomnia.

"She's very confused, she's always asking about her husband - 'Where's my husband, where's my husband?' - and she seems completely disorientated."

The couple were separated from each other by their captors and are being held on land.

Send this article by email

More on this story

Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.


Watch the Latest Channel 4 News

Watch Channel 4 News when you want

Latest Africa news

More News blogs

View RSS feed

How to tweet

How and why to follow the Channel 4 News family on Twitter.

Most watched

image

Find out which reports and videos are getting people clicking online.




Channel 4 © 2010. Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.