Eight years ago, German couple kidnapped by Somali's were released after ransom paid but this time sad ending in hands of abu sayyaf gumen

Tragedy at sea: The Philippine Navy boarding the ‘Rockall’ after it was found abandoned in the Sulu Sea off southern Philippines. — AP




KOTA KINABALU: Eight years ago, a German couple was kidnapped by Somalis but they survived the harrowing experience after a ransom was paid.

In the wee hours yesterday, they went through a similar ordeal but this time, there was a sad ending.

Juegen Kantner, 70, was held by the kidnappers but his wife Sabina Wetch died after she was shot by Abu Sayyaf gunmen.

The incident was said to have occurred in waters off Tanjung Luuk Pisuk, Tawi-Tawi, in southern Philippines.



Philippines intelligence sources said the couple were on board a private yacht when they were confronted by the armed terrorists.

Abu Sayyaf spokesman Muamar Askali alias Abu Rami told Philippines media that the group had abducted the German and killed his wife.

He said the woman fought back and was shot.

It could not be established if the couple were sailing from Palawan, an island north of Sabah, and passing Tawi-Tawi waters shortly before the incident.

An official at the Sandakan Yacht Club said there was no foreign visitors who docked there over the past week.

Regional military spokesman Maj Filemon Tan said the military had recovered the couple’s yacht, named the Rockall, and the body of a naked white woman who had been shot was aboard.

He said the military had listened to an audio recording of a known Abu Sayyaf leader claiming responsibility for the raid on the yacht, and the abducted German man also spoke on the phone call.

In June 2008, the couple were steering their yacht Rockall through the dangerous Gulf of Aden when armed pirates held them captive in their mountain hideout.

During the 52-day hostage ordeal, they were subjected to deprivations and mock executions.

A German newspaper reported that Kantner was freed after US$600,000 (RM2.52mil) was paid to the Somalis.

“My boat is my life and I don’t want to lose her, nothing more. I don’t care about pirates and governments,” Kantner told AFP.

Kantner said then that he could not afford another kidnapping, after the ransom was paid to the Somali pirates.

“I really hope the pirates don’t catch me because this time no one will pay and everybody will tell the pirates: ‘Keep him’,” he said.