London, March 09: Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed says a British couple held hostage by pirates in his country were “not in danger.”
He also insisted progress was being made on securing their release.
Asked during a visit to London about when Paul and Rachel Chandler would be freed, the president said, “we have made progress and we’re hopeful.”
“We understand there’s no danger, they’re not in danger,” he said, adding, “our efforts are geared towards their release at the earliest possible time.”
The couple, who were seized when their yacht was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean on October 23, have expressed their fear in video messages that they would be killed if a ransom is not paid.
Rachel Chandler is also in poor mental and physical health, according to a doctor who was allowed to briefly examine the couple in captivity in January.
Ahmed met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday, when the British leader pressed him on his government’s efforts to secure the Chandlers’ release.
“When someone is in captivity that’s not a good situation at all. The prime minister (Brown) asked that we redouble our efforts in winning their release and we will continue to do so,” the president said.
—Agencies