Paul and Rachel Chandler are resting away from the public gaze today as they enjoy their first full day of freedom in Britain following their year-long hostage nightmare at the hands of Somali pirates.
The retired couple touched down at Heathrow airport yesterday, before walking down the steps of the plane with beaming smiles on their faces.
Their return to Britain brought to an end a 388-day ordeal which began in October 2009 when their yacht was seized by armed Somali pirates as it sailed from the Seychelles towards Tanzania.
The couple, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, landed at Heathrow at 6.44pm last night, on board Virgin Atlantic flight VS672 from Nairobi.
Mr and Mrs Chandler, aged 60 and 57 respectively, left the aircraft separately from other passengers. They smiled as they disembarked and met waiting airport officials on the tarmac. They were then taken to a private location to be reunited with friends and family and debriefed by officials.
Family spokesman Pat Adamson said today: “They were very weary and tired as any of us would be having been put in their position, but their spirits are high.
In the coming days the couple are expected to hold talks with media advisers and discuss interview deals. It is believed some of the money earned will be used to help pay back the ransom reportedly given to the pirates to secure their release.
The Chandlers were released on Sunday and handed over to local officials in the Somali town of Adado after a fee of up to £620,000 was reportedly paid to their kidnappers. They were then flown to the capital, Mogadishu, and on to Nairobi, Kenya.
They only learned after their release that Mr Chandler’s father, Alfred, had died while they were being held.
In January, Mr Chandler said he had been separated from his wife and was afraid they would both be executed and dumped in the desert. He said his wife had been beaten with rifle butts and the pair had been dragged apart and moved to different locations.
PA