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Yacht couple lost in Seychelles Pirates 'seize UK yacht couple'
(20 minutes later)
A search and rescue operation is being carried out for a British couple who have disappeared while sailing their yacht in the Seychelles.A search and rescue operation is being carried out for a British couple who have disappeared while sailing their yacht in the Seychelles.
Paul and Rachel Chandler, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were heading for Tanzania from the Seychelles in their yacht, the Lynn Rival. Paul and Rachel Chandler, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were heading for Tanzania from the Seychelles in their yacht, the Lynn Rival.
They sent a distress signal on Friday but have not been heard from since.They sent a distress signal on Friday but have not been heard from since.
There has been an unconfirmed report that Somali pirates have admitted seizing the yacht.There has been an unconfirmed report that Somali pirates have admitted seizing the yacht.
The news agency Reuters said the pirates were taking the vessel back to Somalia.
'Found nothing''Found nothing'
Somali pirates told the news agency Reuters they had seized a yacht in the Indian Ocean with a British couple aboard and were taking the vessel to the Horn of Africa nation. A pirate called Hassan told the agency: "The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean."
A pirate called Hassan said: "The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean."
The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, he added.The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, he added.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said it could not confirm whether pirates were involved.
"We are in touch with the family in the UK and the Seychelles coastguards which continues to monitor the situation and has conducted a search of the area," she added.
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the couple's distress beacon was activated at 2300 BST on Friday.Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the couple's distress beacon was activated at 2300 BST on Friday.
They were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania when they used the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).They were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania when they used the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).
The route would have taken Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, near Somali waters which are notorious for pirate attacks on ships and smaller boats.
A MCA spokesman said: "The Seychelles authorities are carrying out a search and rescue operation but have found nothing so far."A MCA spokesman said: "The Seychelles authorities are carrying out a search and rescue operation but have found nothing so far."
It is understood that there had been pirate activity in the area earlier in the day.It is understood that there had been pirate activity in the area earlier in the day.