"We have been notified since August 5, that the abducted person is an Indonesian captain of a Malaysian flagged-fishing trawler, and it happened in the Malaysian water," Iqbal said.
Solo, C Java (ANTARA News) - Director of Citizen and Legal Entities Protection of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Lalu Muhammad Iqbal has confirmed that several gunmen have abducted an Indonesian captain of a fishing trawler in the Malaysian water.

"We have been notified since August 5, that the abducted person is an Indonesian captain of a Malaysian flagged-fishing trawler, and it happened in the Malaysian water," Iqbal said here on Sunday.

Iqbal explained that the fishing trawler was attacked by the gunmen on August 3, at around 4 p.m. local time.

There were two other crew members on board when the incident occurred, but the gunmen released them, and they reported the incident to police in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, on August 5.

Following the report to the police, Iqbal said the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and consulate general in Kota Kinabalu worked closely with the local authorities, the freed crewmen, ship company, and the Philippine authority, to seek more detailed information.

"Some information related to the incident and the abductions actors are still different one to another, so we still need to verify it," Iqbal noted.

According to a local newspaper, The Star, Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSC) director Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Khalid confirmed a report had been filed by the owner of the fishing trawler on Saturday, two days after the abduction was said to happen.

Khalid also told the newspaper that the incident did not look like the usual kidnapping and a police investigation is on progress.

At the present, the two crewmen and the trawler are being held for investigations.

Previously, ten Indonesians were kidnapped by armed group members and until now they are still being taken hostage in the southern Philippines.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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