The fate of kidnapped businessman Pericles Panagopoulos appeared unclear last night after his wife made a public appeal on Saturday for the abductors to get in touch with her or even to take her hostage in place of the 74-year-old.

Katerina Panagopoulou called several TV channels on Saturday to plead with the gang that last Monday kidnapped her husband, the founder of Greece’s largest ferry operator Attica Holdings, to call her after a deadline for the ransom to be paid had passed without any contact.

“I was ready to satisfy their demands 24 hours ago but they have not called,” she said. “I offer myself in exchange.” The size of the ransom has not been made public.

Unconfirmed reports yesterday suggested that the abductors had contacted Panagopoulou after her emotional plea. Panagopoulos suffers from a serious health problem, which has heightened concerns about his condition.