The local media reported that several gunmen, equipped with M-16 machine guns, boarded a fishing boat and carried two crew members of the boat at around 1 a.m. local time.
Two other fishermen, however, managed to hide from the kidnappers in several compartments of the boat.
Soon after the kidnappers left, two lucky crew members, along with their colleagues and the ship radio, immediately headed to the Semporna police office to report the case.
Both the police and East Sabah Security Commander confirmed the incident when contacted.
This is the first kidnapping incident in almost two years.
Chief of the Sabah police office Omar Mammah confirmed the incident and explained that the investigation was still being conducted by the police.
"More or less at 12 midnight, one kidnapping case occurred in the waters of Gaya Island involving two perpetrators carrying M16 weapons," he remarked.
He further noted that the two fishermen had been kidnapped and taken to an unidentified location.
"We believe that this kidnapping case has something to do with the kidnapping group for ransom (KFR). However, we have, so far, not received any request from anywhere to demand ransom," he remarked.
In the meantime, officials at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur confirmed the incident.
Reporting by Agus Setiawan
Editing by Bustanuddin, Suharto, Yoseph Hariyadi
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
