Danish pirate hostages in bad shape
2011-05-08 17:31
Copenhagen - Two Danish hostages held since February by pirates off the Somali coast were reported to be ill but their captors were not willing to let a doctor see them, reports said on Sunday.
The Danish woman and her teenage daughter were on a world tour with three other family members and two other adults when their yacht was seized off Somalia.
The girl has suffered from a fever and been unable to eat or drink enough while the girl's mother has a skin rash, the news site Somalia Report said, quoting one of the alleged pirates.
The man, named as Farah Josh, told the news site that the Danish family were in the same cabin on the MV Dover, a Greek-owned cargo vessel seized by pirates.
Farah said the only solution was that a ransom be paid since the pirates could not trust allowing a doctor on board.
According to Farah, the pirates have demanded $5m to free the family, but "the relatives of the Danish family will only pay $1.3m so there is a big difference between us."
Following the abduction of the family, Denmark urged recreational sailors to avoid the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the north-western section of the Indian Ocean due to the risk of pirates.
Danish authorities have said they would not pay ransom, while the family's friends and family have attempted to raise money toward their release.Author: Lennart Simonsson
- SAPA
