THE 27 crewmen of a Davao City-bound container vessel defended themselves as they waited for the arrival of a Navy ship, which prompted six Abu Sayyaf bandits on board two watercraft to escape during a foiled abduction operation on Tuesday off Sibago Island in Basilan.
The Manila-based MV Ocean Kingdom was cruising Sibago at 3:24 p.m. on Tuesday when the bandits on board the two watercraft tried to stop the ship by firing their guns at its starboard.
But the captain and crew were not intimidated and did not stop, and then started sending distress calls to the Coast Guard and Navy.
“Due to the vigilance of the captain and crew members and the prompt response of naval troops, the armed perpetrators aborted their attempt to hijack the vessel and retreated towards the Moro Gulf,” said Major Felimon Tan Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command.
He also said a trusted man of Abu Sayyaf commander Furuji Indama was killed in an encounter on Wednesday in Sapah Bulak village in Sumisip town.
Tan said the Abu Sayyaf bandits were armed with M16, M14 and AK47 rifles.
“MV Ocean Kingdom incurred gunshot holes on her port and starboard, but no casualty was reported on her crew members,” Tan said.