UK hostages on Saudi tanker named

The families of two British crew men held by pirates aboard a hijacked Saudi Arabian oil tanker said they hoped the men would be "home safely very soon".

Peter French and James Grady are on the Sirius Star, a supertanker which was sailing from Saudi Arabia to the US when it was attacked at the weekend.

Chief engineer Mr French, from County Durham, is married with a 17-year-old daughter. Mr Grady is from Strathclyde.

Their families said they appreciated the concern shown for the two men.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office on behalf of the families said: "The families of Peter French, from County Durham, and James Grady, from Strathclyde, greatly appreciate the concern that has been expressed by people throughout the UK and beyond, about Peter and James.

"They hope that Peter and James will be home safely to their families very soon."