Reports today that a first money-drop of around £1/2million was parachuted to the pirates in the summer. This was supposed to be the negotiated sum to free the Chandlers. Due to widespread media coverage however, the pirates reckoned they could make even more money and reneged on the agreement. Another payment of possibly £1/4 million has now been made and this has finally lead to the the hostage release. Thinking of the poor aid worker in Afghanistan last month, we can only thank goodness the SAS or Marines never went in!

The Chandler's yacht is back in the UK and the Chandlers are already talking about going off to sea again. Only this time I suspect they will be avoiding East Africa! Back home today to a cold but sunny UK.

Rather than patrol the whole ocean up to the Seychelles, why don't the naval task-force simply patrol the Somali coast? If Flogging Joey could blockade East Kent a couple of hundred years ago, then I'm sure today's warships could prevent armed fishing boats leaving the Somali coast. It may be a long coastline but sufficient helicopters should be able to cover a few hundred miles. Just a thought.