KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police are waiting for phone calls to be made to families of the 10 Bajau Laut fishermen reportedly kidnapped in Lahad Datu waters on Tuesday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said until phone calls were made police could not be sure of the motive behind the alleged kidnapping.
“However, we highly suspect it was for ransom. There have been no calls yet (from kidnappers) and so, I cannot give any update.
“Police, however, are taking statements from those who survived (the kidnapping incident) to facilitate investigations,” he said when contacted.
At 2am yesterday, gunmen were reported to have boarded two fishing boats with 16 people on board and abducted 10 of them.
The latest kidnapping incident was reported to have occurred close to the maritime border with the Philippines.
It was also reported that the six other fishermen were rescued by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.
Omar said kidnap-for-ransom groups had been targeting fishermen, adding that they may make the employers pay for the release of their workers.
On the rescued fishermen, he said no injuries were reported and that the gunmen did not fire shots in the incident.