Paul and Rachel Chandler's Biography
Paul and Rachel Chandler had left Tunbridge Wells in Kent on a voyage around the world. At the time of the ordeal Paul was 59, and Rachel was 55. <
At the time of the kidnapping, Paul and Rachel Chandler had been married for over 25 years - some sources state 28 years. The couple had no children.
Before their retirement, Paul Chandler used to be a quantity surveyor, and Rachel Chandler was an economist.
Paul and Rachel Chandler were experienced sailors and had been invited on more than one occasion to address the Cruising Association.
The Chandlers wrote a travel blog detailing their voyages including the stark entry before the world knew they had been kidnapped: "Please ring Sarah". The blog goes as far back as January 2006.
On 31 January 2010, whilst Paul and Rachel Chandler were being detained separately by Somali pirates, the Telegraph reported how a doctor, Mohamed Helmi Hangul had said that Mrs Chandler was in poor health. They also published a photo of Mrs Chandler looking very thin.
On 9 March 2010, The Times reported that Rachel and Paul Chandler had been temporarily reunited, according to Dr Mohamed Elmi Hangul.
On 14 November 2010 it was revealed that Paul and Rachel Chandler had been released by Somali pirates. They had been released a little earlier, but the media had obeyed an injunction obtained by the Chandlers' family to not report the release until the Chandlers had left Somalia.
In October 2011, Paul and Rachel Chandler, appearing before the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, criticised the government for putting the Foreign Office rather than the police in charge of securing their release.
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