Five Indonesians not taken by kidnappers allowed to leave
Published on: Friday, April 22, 2016
Tawau: Five Indonesians who sought refuge in Sabah after running into armed gunmen in international waters, during which four of their mates were taken hostage, are finally on way back to Tarakan in Indonesia.They had been in Lahad Datu the past week to help police in their investigations, recounting what actually transpired in the waters off Pulau Mataking at about 6.30pm on April 15 when Abu Sayyaf kidnappers intercepted their tugboat TB Henry.On Thursday morning, the five Indonesians Yohanis Serang, Sembara Octavia, Leonard Bastian, Rohaidi and Royke Fransy, set sail on the tugboat TB Henry and their barge Christi escorted by a patrol team from the Eastern Sabah Security Command.
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Together with them was Captain Amser Albert Manuel Lantang who was sent by the shipping company to lead them since the five sailors were not skilled in operating the tugboat.A sixth Indonesian sailor, who sustained injuries after being shot in the incident, Lambos Simanungkalit, is still warded at the Tawau Hospital, and his wife is believed to have arrived in Tawau on Thursday. Acting Representative of the Indonesian Consulate, here, Abdul Fatah Zainal said they departed from Lahad Datu at about 11.30am and were accompanied by the Esscom team who will escort them to the Malaysian – Indonesian water borders close to Sipadan – Ligitan. He said from there, a team from their Indonesian counterparts will take over and escort them to Tarakan, adding that the journey from Lahad Datu to Tarakan will take about 36 hours.
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