A yacht towing another boat was spotted last night from the air as the search for a British couple thought to have been kidnapped off the Seychelles intensified.

 The EU Naval Force Somalia has reported spotting a yacht towing a skiff around 200 miles south-east of the port of Harardhere, Somalia, although there has been no confirmation that the yacht is Lynn Rival, missing in the area since Friday 23 October.

Paul Chandler, 58, a retired engineer and his wife, Rachel, 55, an economist, have been cruising for three years through the Med, the Red Sea, India and the Seychelles where they had been for seven months. 

The last communication from the couple was via their blog where the words: PLEASE RING SARAH were written on Friday just two hours after their EPIRB signal was received – apparently referring to Mrs Chandler’s sister.

 YBW forum posters have experessed shock and sympathy at the apparent attack: ‘I am shocked to hear this news. I first saw Lynn Rival in June 2006 in Skopelos when there was a big thunderstorm. Back home, googling for reports of the storm, I found their blog and have followed them across the Med, down the Red Sea and on to India. Their blog inspired me to realize our own plans when we bought Vigdis in 2007 to sail her in the Med. I do hope they come out of this OK. I feel like the Chandlers are old friends, although I have never actually spoken to them.

If you have any further information of use to the family or the authorities, post it on YBW forums