Waiting for Demands

Almost a month after two South Africans were kidnapped off the east African coast by suspected Somali pirates, there was still no ransom demand or any word on their fate.

Authorities in South Africa and Kenya are reportedly still hopeful that Bruno Pelizzari and Deborah Calitz would be released unharmed.

Pirates captured the couple’s yacht as they were travelling on at the end of October. During the attack the vessel’s skipper managed to escape.

Government officials in South Africa and Kenya’s East African Seafarers Assistance Programme head, Andrew Mwangura remained optimistic believing that no news is not necessarily bad news.

Mwangura, stated that no ransom demand for the pair’s release and no contact with their captors did not mean they had been harmed and the pirates may not yet feel safe enough to make contact.

The International Relations and Cooperation Department said it believes the local pair is alive and there was no reason to lose hope.