British hostage to return home

Judith Tebbutt, who was freed yesterday after being held hostage by Somali pirates, is expected to return home in the coming days.

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Foreign Secretary welcomes release of Judith Tebbutt

“I am delighted that Judith Tebbutt has been released following her six month ordeal. Judith is now in the care of the British High Commission in Nairobi and has been reunited with her son, Oliver.

Our immediate thoughts are with Judith’s family and friends who have endured the ordeal of her captivity with great strength and dignity. David Tebbutt, Judith’s husband, was killed during the attack on the couple and I send my deepest condolences to them as they continue to come to terms with his death as a family. I hope the media will respect the family’s call for privacy.”

– William Hague, Foreign Secretary

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Freed hostage Judith Tebbutt releases statement

"I am of course hugely relieved to at last be free, and overjoyed to be reunited with my son Ollie. This however is a time when my joy at being safe again is overwhelmed by my immense grief, shared by Ollie and the wider family, following David’s passing in September last year. My family and I now need to grieve properly.

"I would like to thank everybody who has supported Ollie throughout this ordeal. I am now looking forward to returning home to family and friends whom I have missed so very much.

"I hope that while I adjust to my freedom and the devastating loss of my husband that I and my family will be allowed space, time and most of all privacy, to come to terms with the events of the last six months."

– Judith Tebbutt, freed from Somali pirates

Resort owner 'greatly relieved' over Judith Tebbutt release

I feel greatly relieved that Judith... is being reunited with her son, but I'm sad her husband is not with her. I spoke to them on their first night which is when the event happened. We had drinks and chatted and they were in very good spirits and talking about their son... and about their safari in Africa. It was a sudden chain of events and everything was shattered.

– GEORGE MOORHEAD, KIWAYU SAFARI VILLAGE OWNER
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