Boredom, hunger and fear a constant for merchant seamen held captive by Somalia's pirates

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Some hostages are little more than skin and bones, their food running out and illnesses setting in as negotiations for their release drag on, angering their volatile captors. Others report less brutal conditions, even being allowed to fish for extra provisions.Still, fear is a constant for all the 300 or so merchant seamen now held by Somali pirates. Life for them — and their families back home — is a grueling stretch of days, weeks, even months in cramped conditions, wondering about the future.Sometimes there are threats of execution, along with worries of what will happen if their employers refuse to pay ransom and their usefulness as bargaining chips ends.There is a lot of time to pray...more..http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-as-piracy-hostages-plight,0,4315572.story