Fuschia - the EU and NATO have warships out there. Unfortunately the situation is not as simple as blowing the pirates out of the water; you have to consider religious tensions, and also that if you look at it, if they were all murdering bastards all the hostages would be dead. They aren't.
You need to follow the ransom money and see where that goes to find out what is really happening here.
As long as the companies and insurance agents such as Lloyds keep paying the ransoms, this will keep happening.
Also, consider, if you capture a pirate, where do you try them? If in the UK, then will they claim asylum at the end and then stay here. Do we want that? How many would then sit there waiting to be captured? The EU would not let us deport them. Do you not think that this has all been thought through at a much higher level than MN?
The Chandlers put themselves in danger, and they had been warned not to sail the route they did. Whilst I am sorry for them, I would have taken the advice and sailed elsewhere.