I know.

Have you considered what that money would be used for if we paid them?

It'd go to the criminal gang behind the pirates. Probably some of it would go on buying some pretty heavy duty weaponry. Saving 2 lives the 'easy' way might well cost 10 lives in the end.

I was about to ask the same thing.

The crux of the matter is, if they pay out, there will be a ripple effect. Lorna, are you prepared to risk your loved ones into a potential ripple effect and have the Chandlers saved?

I understand that, but the answer would have to be yes, because if it was my loved ones in the place of the Chandlers, I would do anything to bring them home, same as if it was my and my OH in their shoes right now I would want to be saved!

But Lorna, don't you see that not paying out for the Chandlers could prevent you and your loved ones having to go through this in the first place. If we take a stand now we significantly reduce the chances of this becoming more and more common an occurance.

Possibly....and I hope you're right, but if I cannot help wanting to pay to save two innocent people regardless. They are someone's family, someone loves them same as we all love our families and I would want my family protected and I can't help but put myself in their position. Either way there are negative outcomes.....I just happen to believe that we can save them. I hope I really really do hope that if we don't pay then they will get fed up and just send them home...I'm not sure it will happen like that though because it won't show just how serious they are....

I know and I hope so too. It's a good thing to feel that way so well done you for caring x

Thanks Pidge, seems I'm a softy after all xx

Whilst I truely feel for the couple that are being held to ransom, I dont think our government should be forced to pay the ransom.. my reasons are...

The couple knew that they were sailing in very dangerous areas, they didn't NEED to sail there, the ocean is huge, they should have had the common sense to avoid the area.

People are told places are not safe for a reason, if people are silly enough to ignore reason and still go into dangerous area's then they shouldn't expect other people to bail them out.

If you pay a ransom for someone this week, by next week there will be more people kidnapped, with more ransoms being made for much more money.

If the money was paid, do you think it would go to pay to feed the many staving people all over Somalia? NOPE it would be used to buy faster speed boats, more machine guns etc.. so really the british government would be paying the kidnappers to better equip themselves for the next kidnapping target!

I do think the whole Somalia Pirate thing needs something doing soon, maybe a coalition navy patrol with more british/american/french/canadian/ ships in the area to combat the pirates and show them that ALL countries are not willing to be held to ransom and that if they keep trying to kidnap people they will get a huge great battleship giving chase to blast the pirates out the water!

With maybe the huge shipping companies helping out with funding the navy presence, as surely helping to pay for naval patrols and keeping their ships free from attacks by pirates would be better than losing their cargo, crew's etc.