LAHAD DATU: Four gunmen were shot dead by Sabah authorities off the coast of Laut Sahabat here.

Sources said that the gunmen opened fire at authorities who were conducting a joint sea patrol at around 2am Tuesday.

It is believed that the authorities shot back in self-defence and killed the suspects.

The motive of the gunmen could not be immediately ascertained but sources did not rule out that they were members of southern Philippines-based kidnap-for-ransom groups.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din is expected to give a press conference on the case soon.

More to come