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Yachtsman Peter Lee
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Sailing couple robbed by pirates in the Caribbean
Victoria Morely16/ 7/2008
THE son of a Hazel Grove couple attacked by gun-wielding pirates last week has spoken about their courageous spirit and the very British way in which they dealt with their terrifying ordeal - by putting the kettle on.
Hazel Grove property developer Peter Lee and his wife Betty were sailing off the coast of Venezuela when pirates shot at and raided their yacht.
The couple, who lived on London Road before they embarked on their around-the-world trip three years ago, were relaxing on their £65,000 yacht, Raven Eye, when five men forced their way onto the vessel - four armed with guns.
Peter, 61, was tied by his hands and feet and held down by the shoulder while a gunman pointed a 9mm pistol at his neck. Fearing her husband had been thrown overboard, Betty, 57, was then confronted by gunmen in the lower cabin.
They stole £150 in cash and £3,000 worth of equipment before wrenching her wedding ring from her bloody finger. She had never taken it off during their 35 year marriage.
Their son, Simon Lee, 34, a builder from Hazel Grove, thought his parents were winding him up when they rang the day after the attack to inform him of what had happened.
‘‘I could tell something was wrong but I just thought it was dad messing around," said Simon, of Bramhall Moor Lane. The harsh reality soon sank in though when Dad went into detail about the robbery and how they had been held hostage. All I could think of was my poor mum and how frightened she must have been. They are still a bit shaken and upset by the whole thing but are even more determined to carry on with their adventure. They are happy doing what they are doing and nothing will deter them from it. They have a wonderful philosophy on life and have already moved on from it.’’
The family dog, Kankuntu, also became a target when he launched himself at the pirates - biting and snapping at them. The two year-old hunting dog, who the couple picked up in Gambia near the start of their voyage was shot, stabbed and left for dead.
Speaking from Trinidad this week, Peter Lee said: ‘‘He was by the side of me when he went for them. The dog had a real good go too but they shot him and they stabbed him between the shoulder blades. Four days later we found a bullet in his stomach that had just missed his intestines and abdomen. Otherwise he would have been dead. He’s a very brave dog. He only weighs about 50lb but he thinks he’s a lion."
Simon, who is also a diving instructor at Hazel Grove’s Sub Aqua Club, said his brother Christian, 32, and sister Katie, 29, are just glad their parents are around to tell the tale.
‘‘My parents have a good sense of humour and are aware of the Pirates of the Caribbean parody," Simon added. "But it’s awful to think how close they came to tragedy. ‘There’s no point dwelling on that now’ - as my dad would say.They are safe and sound and even the dog came out of this a hero."
Proud Englishman Peter, who purchased the yacht five years ago after he retired, has maintained a stoical character throughout.
‘‘This is what you have to do. I’m just an ordinary working man but I’m British as well," said Peter. ‘‘I hobbled back to the cockpit and sat on the steps leading down below and said, ‘Come on, old girl, get yourself together now and get me untied. So she quickly untied me and then it was, ‘Come on, put the kettle on and let’s have some tea and get back up and running again’."
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Many years ago, a pal of mine bought an ocean going sloop to see the World with. He'd spent a lot of time in the Rhodesian Army (at the time, that's what it was) and was very aware of possible threats to his security. I can't remember the precise details now, but his plans for suitable protection came to nought because of the jurisdiction of British firearm laws on a British flagged vessel.
18/07/2008 at 09:44