Another Abducted Indonesian Sailor Escapes Abu Sayyaf Captors

Another crewmember of M/T Charles, the tugboat attacked by Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits last June, was found safe and sound by Western Mindanao Command (WMC) units in Luuk, Sulu Thursday afternoon.

The victim was initially identified only as Ismail and chief officer of the M/T Charles, said WMC spokesperson Major Filemon Tan.

Ismail was seen and rescued by troops patrolling in Barangay Bual, Luuk town at 4:30 p.m.

“The kidnap victim is now in custody of troops and awaiting transport for Jolo for medical examination prior turnover to proper authorities,” Tan added.

M/T Charles has a crew of seven, all of whom were kidnapped by the ASG bandits last June. It was traversing Indonesian waters near the country’s border with the Philippines when armed men fired at the boat and seized seven crew members.

Last Aug. 17, Mohammad Safyan, a crewmember of the ill-fated boat, managed to escape from the clutches of his captors.

Safyan was rescued by local residents at about 7:30 a.m. at the shoreline of Barangay Bual, Luuk town in Sulu. He was immediately brought by the residents to the municipal police station.

Reports from ground units disclosed that 28-year-old Safyan escaped from his kidnappers at the mangrove areas of Barangays Bual and Bato-Itum, both in Luuk, after the bandits threatened to behead him.

Safyan was seen by residents trapped in the fishnets in the area. (PNA) JMC/PFN