( CNN ) -- A British couple kidnapped by Somalian pirates in the Indian Ocean have issued another desperate plea , saying they are being badly treated and need urgent help . Paul and Rachel Chandler , from Kent in southern England , were taken by pirates from their yacht , the Lynn Rival , on October 23 , just days after setting sail from the Seychelles islands for Tanzania . The couple was brought ashore and are being held in separate locations in central Somalia . Their captors initially demanded a ransom of $ 7 million , but the British government -- in line with longstanding policy -- has refused to pay . In a video filmed on Thursday in Somalia by the French news agency AFP , Rachel Chandler begged the British government to help secure the couple 's release . `` Please help us , these people are not treating us well , '' she said . `` I 'm old , I 'm 56 and my husband is 60 years old . We need to be together because we have not much time left . '' A doctor was shown examining Paul Chandler , 60 , who appeared to be in a better state than his wife . The medic found Rachel Chandler in poor mental health , calling out for her husband , AFP reported . `` She is sick , she is very anxious , she suffers from insomnia , '' Dr. Mohamed Helmi Hangul told the agency . `` She 's very confused , she 's always asking about her husband -- 'Where 's my husband , where 's my husband ? ' -- and she seems completely disorientated . '' Paul Chandler said his conditions were poor and also pleaded for help . `` Please help us , we have nobody to help us , we have no children ... We have been in captivity for 98 days and we are not in good condition , '' he said , also on Thursday . Hangul said Paul Chandler `` had a bad cough and seemed to have some fever . '' A spokesman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office told CNN on Sunday : `` We are monitoring the situation very closely and doing everything we can to help secure a release . `` We remain in regular contact with the family and are providing support . We call for the safe and swift release of Paul and Rachel . '' Pirates have been very active off the east coast of Africa in the past several years , operating out of lawless Somalia . Earlier this month , pirates attempted to hijack an Indian crude oil vessel 105 nautical miles from Somalia , the EU 's anti-piracy naval force said . The pirates opened fire on the ship and were later arrested . Piracy on the high-seas reached a six-year high in 2009 , according to the International Maritime Bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . CNN 's Per Nyberg contributed to this report .
British couple kidnapped by Somalian pirates issue another appeal for help . David and Rachel Chandler say they are being poorly treated and need urgent help . Chandlers were taken from their yacht by pirates in Somalia . Pirates have demanded ransom of $ 7 million .