One of seven Indonesian tugboat crew members seized by the Abu Sayyaf nearly two months ago off southern Philippines was recovered by residents trapped in a fishnet and clinging to a fishnet off the shore of a village in Sulu province.

Major Filemon Tan Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) spokesperson, said Mohammad Sofyan, 28, was seen by residents of Luuk and sent to the municipal police station.

“Sofyan was seen by the residents floating and was trapped in fishnets in the place of rescue,” said Tan.

Tan said the Abu Sayyaf took Sofyan to the mangrove at the boundary of barangays Bual and Bato-Itum in Luuk to be beheaded but the hostage escaped and hid in the mangrove.

He said Sofyan was later brought to the Sulu Provincial Police Office for processing before he is turned over to his family.

Tan said he has no information on Sofyan’s six crew members who were on a tugboat which was seized last June 23 but said soldiers were ordered to search for them.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu were directed to scour the area and use all available assets to possibly locate the remaining kidnap victims and conduct operations to rescue them” said Tan.

The Indonesian crew members being held by the Abu Sayyaf are Ferry Arifin; Mohammd Mahbrur Dahri; Edi Suryono;Mohammad Nasir; Robin Piter; and, Ismail.

Tan said the Abu Sayyaf are still holding 16 foreign captives. These are nine Indonesians, five Malaysians, a Dutch national and a Norwegian. Robina Asido/DMS