Four days after the British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler sent out a distress call near the Seychelles, their boat has reportedly reached the central Somalian coast. Later last night coast-based marine observers further reported that the yacht has been commandeered around 30 miles south of Hobyo to a location off Ceel Huur and north of Harardheere – a notorious piracy stronghold.

A spokesman for the Somali pirates warned Britain not to try to rescue the couple: “If warships surround us, we shall point our guns at the British tourists. They are old and we will take care of them. That is if we are not attacked.”

The Chandler’s relatives confirmed that the couple’s only assets were contained on their boat – Lynn Rival – and so there was no chance of any ransom demands being met by the hostages themselves.