Indonesian flees Filipino captors, found trapped in fishnet
MANILA, Philippines — An Indonesian sailor swam to freedom Wednesday almost two months after he was abducted from a tugboat in the southern Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants who threatened to behead him, officials said.
Mohammad Sayfan, 28, was rescued by residents on southern Jolo Island who found him floating and trapped in fishnets along shore in a mangrove area, said military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan.
Sayfan was one of seven crew members abducted from a tugboat near the Philippine border in June. Sixteen other foreign hostages, including nine Indonesians, are still held by the violent Muslim extremist group in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed in May to carry out co-ordinated patrols in a bid to thwart off kidnappings and piracy that have undermined commerce in the region.