The Philippine military has rescued a Vietnamese sailor kidnapped from the bulk carrier Royal 16, together with five more men in a November-hijacking off Basilan waters by the Philippines Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists.
After over nine months in captivity, the hostage managed to flee the militant group and was rescued by the Philippine troops on Monday “ following intensified operations against the militants,” military spokeswoman Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay is cited as saying by AFP.
This is the second sailor from the group to be rescued by the troops.
As indicated, the Abu Sayyaf’s requests for ransom were not fulfilled.
Of the six men taken in November by the militants, bodies of two decapitated seafarers were found by the military in July this year. One crew member remains captive, while the sixth seafarer has reportedly been killed in a gunbattle in July.
The 5,610 DWT bulker was boarded by ten armed men, believed to be ASG members, who abducted the six crew members and wounded two. The attack occurred off Sibago Island.
World Maritime News Staff