Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Captured by Pirates? ...troubling story from troubling waters

British Couple Missing - Yacht Captured by Pirates? Source: Yacht Pals

Paul and Rachel Chandler

Seychelles - As YachtPals reported last April, private yachts are a bad target for the pirates based around Somalia and the Seychelles, and it seemed that the pirates had reached the same conclusion. Although there have been several cases of pirate attacks on ships around the Seychelles islands in the last few weeks, people on cruising boats have been happily ignored for over six months. It appears now that our luck has changed, however. Though still unconfirmed by visual sighting of the boat or crew, YachtPals has now received enough information to report that the Somali pirates have apparently once again made the bad decision to target a cruising yacht at sea. Rachel and Paul Chandler aboard the Rival 38 Lynn Rival are now reportedly captured, and in the hands of pirates.

Paul and Rachel ChandlerThe Chandlers sailed out from the Seychelles last Thursday, headed for Tanzania. They wrote: "We'll be at sea for 8 to 12 days, maybe 14 as we are now getting into the period of transition between the south monsoon and north monsoon, so the trade winds will be less reliable and we may get more light winds." Unfortunately, it appears that just one day into their planned journey west to Tanzania, something went terribly wrong. The first indication of trouble was sent by the British couple themselves, who wrote on their tracker an uncharacteristically short message: "PLEASE RING SARAH". This all caps text-scream appeared to be some type of call for help aimed at Rachel's sister, as then the yacht's EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) was set off at 2200 GMT Friday, indicating the boat was in serious distress just 60 nautical miles west of Victoria in the Seychelles.

Though it was first assumed that the couple was having trouble with their sailboat itself, it's known to all that the area has a high risk for piracy recently, and the possibility of a kidnapping by pirates was immediately considered. It now appears that those early concerns were well founded, as it has been reported that Somali pirates today claimed responsibility for the missing yacht, saying they are holding the couple and the Lynn Rival for ransom. Thus far, there seems to be no tangible proof of this being the situation. However, as the days pass without the couple making contact, this appears more an more to be a case of piracy after all.

Paul and Rachel Chandler of Kent, aged 58 and 55, have been married for 26 years, and are very experienced sailors. They have been enjoying retired life aboard their Rival 38 yacht almost full time for over three years, traveling to exotic locations around the world before arriving in the in March, which they called a cruising paradise. As you can see from their sailing route, they are no newcomers to pirate infested waters, and they seem to have been fully aware of the enormous dangers involved in sailing these areas. Having chosen to sail through the Gulf of Aden (sometimes referred to as "Pirate Alley") in 2007, they went with a flotilla of other boats for safety. For this latest passage, however, they sailed alone.

Chandler map

The couple timed the trip to Tanzania knowing about the recent escalation of the situation of piracy around the Seychelles. Despite the dangers involved, Paul and Rachel planned to catch up with another cruising couple in Tanzania, who had made the passage from the islands in June. Paul wrote at the time that the other couple "had been planning to leave in May but delayed because of the Somali pirate problem," which indicates he and Rachel were very well aware of the problem of piracy on this particular passage. The couple wrote ominously of the situation during the summer: "Arriving back at the old port [Port Victoria] we had to pass three warships at the entrance, one French, one American and one Canadian. No doubt they are here to deal with the pirates. We also understand that the problem has gone away with the arrival of the SE winds. The seas around the Seychelles are now too rough for the pirates to operate in."

The British foreign ministry says that it is now urgently trying to locate Paul and Rachel Chandler and their yacht Lynn Rival, which according to them "left the Seychelles on October 22 and were going on a 150 nautical-mile passage southwest to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania" (YachtPals could not confirm this route plan). The British foreign ministry spokesman also said that they were "in touch with the family in the UK and the Seychelles coast guard, which continues to monitor the situation and has conducted a search of the area," adding that the Seychelles coast guard "have found nothing so far."

In fact, the Seychelles coast guard cannot confirm that the yacht Lynn Rival was taken by pirates at all. Coast Guard commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rosette said Tuesday that they "are monitoring the situation and at the present moment there is no confirmation that the Lynn Rival has been taken by pirates, even if the probability of hijacking is high." However, a pirate named Mohamed Shakir told The Times newspaper today that his associates had brought an abrupt halt to the British couple’s round-the-world tour, and that they are holding Paul and Rachel Chandler for ransom.

YachtPals will have more on this situation as it develops.

- by Kim Hampton exclusively for YachtPals.com

Lynn Rival

Photo above: The yacht Lynn Rival sailing in the Indian Ocean.

Related Piracy Articles:

________________

Courtesy Ads
(For friends of Storm'n Norm'm)
Ad 1

______________
Ad 2
Cape Breton Nova Scotia, Large frontage +/- Sixty eight acres overlooking huge fresh water pond which feeds Bras d’Or lakes the largest inland sea on this continent. Beautiful land and beautiful lake for fishing and sailing (http://yachtpals.com/cruising/novascotia2) , with marina within 3 miles. Winter skiing is not far away.

Asking $68,000. That’s about $1,000.00 per acre and there is more. Because the work of restoring a post and beam 1840’s heritage farm house is incomplete, I am listing this as land but the house is there and it has a new 200 amp electric service, a new unused septic system, gravity feed spring water piping from a clear spring way up the hill (only needs a new well crock to complete it), completely replaced foundation sills, thermal windows and new thermal doors, working wood stove, new roof on back of house. What it still needs is a lot of work to make it into a three season home and a bit more for year round and I am now in my seventies and not up to it. Email me at (fboutin2@verizon.net) Lakeville, Ma for more information or photos.



Within 3miles:

The Bara Strait Marina - Swimming, Boat Launch, Laundry

  • The Barra Strait Cafe
  • Hiking & Low Impact Hiking
  • Bird Watching
  • Liquor Store
  • Convenience Store

Within a 10-minute drive:

Gaelic/Celtic Culture and Activities

Genealogy Research

Nova Scotia Highland Village

Church Service (Roman Catholic)

Computer & Internet Access

Canada Post



Within a 20 to 45-minute drive:

  • Eskasoni - The largest Mi’kmaq reservation in Nova Scotia
  • Boisdale
  • Harbour Greenhouse
  • Orangedale Railway Station Museum


Within a 45-minute to 1-hour drive:

  • North Sydney
  • Sydney
  • Glace Bay - The Miner’s Museum
  • Baddeck - The Bell Museum, Bell Bay Golf Course; Beginning & End of The Cabot Trail
  • The Gaelic College of celtic Arts & Crafts
  • The Canso Causeway
  • Rita’s Tea Room
  • Sail Tours and Charters
Within a 1 - 1.5-hour drive:
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site
Dundee Golf and Resort
Highland Links Golf (Ingonish)
whaleWatching
There are more pictures...please write to Fred at fboutin2@verizon.net



In the 1800’s the early Scotch settlers brought in some Alder trees from the old country to use for sheep pens and they flourished and flourished and flourished. We cleared them all out when these photos were taken, and they are all back so they will need clearing again

No comments:

Post a Comment