KOTA KINABALU: Five gunmen in military fatigues holding a fish farm manager from China are believed to have fled to southern Philippines after firing shots at pursuing Malaysian security forces.
It was learned that the five men armed with M.16 rifles in a fibreglass white speedboat made its way into the Wonderful Terrace Sdn Bhd fish farm at Lahad Datu’s Silam, when the guard questioned their presence in the area at about 2.45am on Tuesday.
However, the armed men ordered the guard to get inside the boat and during the commotion, Chinese manager Yang Zai Lin, 34, from Guangzou, who came out to investigate the commotion, was snatched by the gunmen.
The gunmen then forced the guard to jump out of the boat and they sped off towards international waters.
On being alerted, Malaysian security forces intercepted the gunmen near the Malaysian border island but the gunmen managed to flee into a reef area before crossing into the southern Philippines.
According to some officials, the gunmen fired several rounds at the pursing Malaysian security forces stationed in the area.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib, who earlier this morning briefed Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman on the latest incident, is expected to hold press conference later Tuesday.
It was earlier reported that the Chinese national was believed to have been kidnapped from the fish farm in Lahad Datu’s Silam, hardly 24-hours after pirates robbed four anglers in waters off Tanjung Labian.
This is the second kidnapping in nearly a month.
On April 2, Chinese tourist Gao Hua Yuan, 29, and resort worker Marcy Darawan, 40, were snatched from the Singamata Reef Resort in Semporna.
The two are being held by their gunmen demanding ransoms in southern Philippines.
Related story:
Chinese national feared kidnapped from fish farm by gunmen in Lahad Datu
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