The wife and mother of two Romanian sailors kidnapped by Somali pirates has made an emotional plea for their safety.
Elena Sarchizian said that she would give "my heart and soul" to have her husband and daughter safely returned. She said on Thursday she has been praying ever since she heard about the kidnapping.
The US Navy says the MV Victoria, a German cargo ship with 11 Romanian crew, was captured by Somali pirates on Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden.
Sarchizian's husband Hartin is the ship's chief mechanic and her 30-year-old daughter Ruxandra is a naval officer on the MV Victoria. The Kru Martime recruiting company has identified the 11 sailors. Eight are from the Black Sea port of Constanta, including the Sarchizians.
