MANILA (Reuters) - Gunmen in southern Philippine waters killed one crewman of a Vietnamese vessel and abducted seven in what appeared to be the latest attack by pirates in the area, the Philippine coastguard said on Monday.

Coastguard and marine soldiers rescued 17 Vietnamese who were part of the 25-man crew of MV Giang Hai, which was attacked on Sunday evening near Baguan Island in Tawi-Tawi, an area close to the stronghold of the notorious Abu Sayyaf militant group.

An investigation was underway and the coastguard had launched a pursuit in coordination with the military and police, said coastguard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo.

Well armed and equipped with fast boats and high-tech navigation devices, the Abu Sayyaf is a stubborn problem for the Philippine military, which has failed to curtail piracy and kidnappings in the area, despite major troop deployments in the in the Sulu Archipelago.

The Islamic State-linked group has been involved in frequent acts of piracy and has beheaded captives when ransom demands have not been met.

Before the latest attack, the militants were holding 27 hostages, according to a tally of reports about kidnappings and a few releases.

The captives are Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese seamen, as well as Filipinos, a Dutchman, a German and a Japanese national.

A surge in piracy off parts of the Philippines is forcing ship-owners to divert vessels through other waters, pushing up costs and shipping times.

President Rodrigo Duterte said last month he had asked China for help in the fight against the militants by sending ships to patrol the dangerous waters.</s>One crewman of a Vietnamese ship was killed and seven others were abducted by unidentified gunmen in southern Philippines in Mindanao on Sunday (19 February), the Filipino Coast Guard said.

The vessel had a total of 25 crewmen of whom the Coast Guard and marine soldiers managed to rescue 17. Authorities are investigating the incident and have not commented on speculation about Abu Sayyaf's involvement in the abduction.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said on Monday (20 February) that the attack on MV Giang Hai took place at 7.10pm local time (11.10am GMT) off Sulu's Pearl Bank. He added that they received the information from the Vietnamese Coast Guard, following which they sent speed boats to the location and recovered the ship from the remote Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi province which is close to the Abu Sayyaf stronghold.

"The team [coast guards and marine soldiers] conducted a joint maritime patrol in the vicinity of waters off Baguan Island and subsequently rescued 17 Vietnamese on board, with one dead. Seven other crew were abducted by the unidentified armed men and taken to an undetermined location," Balilo said.

The Coast Guard spokesman added that police and the military were in pursuit of the abductors and an investigation was also ongoing, Rappler reported.

Islamic State (Isis)-linked militant group Abu Sayyaf is very active in the waters around Sulu province and Mindanao. They are known for kidnappings for ransom and are said to already have more than two dozen people of different nationalities in their custody.

Recently, the group threatened to behead a German hostage, Jurgen Kantner, whom they had abducted off Sulu in November 2016. His wife, Sabine Merz, was killed by the militants for opposing the kidnapping. Earlier in 2016, the Islamist group beheaded two Canadian nationals when the deadline for payment of ransom expired. They have set 26 February as the deadline for payment of ransom for Kantner's release.</s>ZAMBOANGA CITY – Suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels hijacked a cargo ship off the southern Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi and abducted 6 Vietnamese sailors and killed one crew member before escaping to the open sea, ther military said Monday.

It said security forces also recovered the body of the slain sailor and rescued 10 other Vietnamese crewmen of MV Giang Hai and brought them to the nearest dock in Taganak Island. “Local fishermen reported Monday morning that they sighted a vessel at the vicinity of Turtle Island which appears to have been sea-jacked. Elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 8 proceeded to the area to respond and found the crewmen on board,” a military report said.

An interpreter interviewed the Vietnamese sailors, but details of this were not immediately available, although security forces in the area have been alerted on the abductions. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the latest hijacking, but military units suspect the Abu Sayyaf was behind the attack.

The military’s Western Mindanao Command said that one Abu Sayyaf rebel, Al Abdullah, was also killed on Sunday afternoon in a clash with soldiers on Turtle Island.

It said Abdullah was first interrogated by soldiers after armed men – believed to be Abu Sayyaf rebels – stayed in his house. After investigation, Abdullah was allowed to go home, but returned with an automatic rifle and fired upon the soldiers and a fire fight ensued until he was eventually killed.

The military said it was searching for the armed men who were later identified as Absar, Musub Baudin, and Man Baudi. All remain at large. “This is a big setback on the Abu Sayyaf group as we continue to intensify the conduct of law enforcement operations along with the police and maximize intel monitoring to pre-empt kidnappings within our joint area of operations,” said Major General Carlito Galvez, the regional military commander.

It was unknown whether Abdullah or any of the gunmen participated in the hijacking of the Vietnamese ship.

Just in January, a group of Abu Sayyaf rebels tried, but failed to hijack a Filipino cargo ship while sailing off Basilan province also in southern Philippines. The gunmen, on board two speedboats, attacked the vessel Ocean Kingdom – manned by over 2 dozen sailors – off Sibago Island while heading to Davao City to deliver its cargo.

Security forces, alerted by the attack, rushed to the area and secured the cargo boat owned by Oceanic Shipping Lines. It was the second cargo ship attacked by rebels off Basilan since last year. Abu Sayyaf fighters also hijacked a Vietnamese cargo ship and seized 6 crewmen, including its captain in a daring attack on November 11 that left one sailor wounded.

The ship, MV Royal 16, was sailing off the province when 10 gunmen on a speedboat intercepted it off Sibago Island and boarded the vessel and abducted the crewmen. Another Filipino cargo ship, MV Lorcon Iloilo, passing near Basilan rescued the wounded sailor and provided him first aid.

The Abu Sayyaf is also holding over a dozen Malaysian and Indonesian sailors in the restive region.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who visited Kuala Lumpur last year, has allowed Malaysia to enter the country’s southern border in hot pursuit of Abu Sayyaf rebels and kidnap gangs following the slew of ransom kidnappings in Sabah just near the Muslim province of Tawi-Tawi.

Manila also allowed Indonesia to do the same following the spate of Abu Sayyaf attacks on its tugboats in Sabah and Tawi-Tawi. The Philippines has joint border patrol agreements with both Malaysia and Indonesia. (Mindanao Examiner)

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 Digital Archives: issuu.com/mindanaoexaminernewspaper</s>In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, members of the Philippine Coast Guard, left, approach the almost sunken fishing boat of Filipino fishermen who were killed by suspected pirates in waters near Zamboanga City, southern Philippines Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. Several Filipino fishermen were killed after a group of suspected pirates boarded a fishing boat in southern Philippine waters and strafed the crew, officials said Tuesday. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP) In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, members of the Philippine Coast Guard, left, approach the almost sunken fishing boat of Filipino fishermen who were killed by suspected pirates in waters near Zamboanga City, southern Philippines Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. Several Filipino fishermen were killed after a group of suspected pirates boarded a fishing boat in southern Philippine waters and strafed the crew, officials said Tuesday. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Gunmen in southern Philippine waters killed one crewman of a Vietnamese vessel and abducted seven in what appeared to be the latest attack by pirates in the area, the Philippine coastguard said on Monday. Coastguard and marine soldiers rescued 17 Vietnamese who were part of the 25-man crew of MV Giang Hai, which was attacked on Sunday evening near Baguan Island in Tawi-Tawi, an area close to the stronghold of the notorious Abu Sayyaf militant group.

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An investigation was underway and the coastguard had launched a pursuit in coordination with the military and police, said coastguard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo. Well armed and equipped with fast boats and high-tech navigation devices, the Abu Sayyaf is a stubborn problem for the Philippine military, which has failed to curtail piracy and kidnappings in the area, despite major troop deployments in the in the Sulu Archipelago.

The Islamic State-linked group has been involved in frequent acts of piracy and has beheaded captives when ransom demands have not been met. Before the latest attack, the militants were holding 27 hostages, according to a tally of reports about kidnappings and a few releases.

The captives are Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese seamen, as well as Filipinos, a Dutchman, a German and a Japanese national. A surge in piracy off parts of the Philippines is forcing ship-owners to divert vessels through other waters, pushing up costs and shipping times. President Rodrigo Duterte said last month he had asked China for help in the fight against the militants by sending ships to patrol the dangerous waters.</s>– The coastguard of the Philippines on February 20 reported that pirates in southern Philippine waters killed one crewman of a Vietnamese vessel and abducted seven on the evening of February 19, according to foreign media.The sailors were aboard ship MV Giang Hai with 25 crewmembers, which was attacked near Baguan Island in Tawi-Tawi, an area close to the stronghold of the notorious Abu Sayyaf militant group.According to Reuters, other 17 Vietnamese sailors on board were rescued by the Philippine coastguard and marine soldiers.An investigation was underway and the coastguard had launched a pursuit in coordination with the military and police, said Philippine coastguard spokesman Armand Balilo.Abu Sayyaf group, which has a close link with the Islamic State, is believed to be the culprit of the attack. Well armed and equipped with fast boats and high-technavigation devices, the group has conducted frequent piracy attacks and kidnapping for ransoms.-VNA</s>MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippine coast guard says gunmen attacked a Vietnamese ship off the Philippines' southern tip, killing a Vietnamese crewman and abducting six others.

Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said Monday the Vietnamese coast guard reported that the MV Giang Hai, with 17 crewmen, was attacked by pirates Sunday night about 20 miles (31 kilometers) north of Pearl Bank in southernmost Tawi-Tawi province.

Rescuers from the coast guard and marines found the ship had drifted near the province's Baguan Island, with 10 Vietnamese crewmen alive and one dead. The cargo vessel's owner said the ship's captain was among those abducted.

Balilo said pursuit operations are underway, but the abducted crewmen's location and the attackers' identity remain unknown.

Abu Sayyaf militants are suspected of being behind previous sea assaults in the area.</s>Pirates in southern Philippines waters killed one crew member and abducted seven more when they attacked the Vietnamese-flagged MV Giang Hai near Baguan Island in the Sulu Sea.

Seventeen of the 25-person crew were rescued by the Philippines Coast Guard, which then pursued the attackers, Reuters reports. Those abducted were Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Dutch, German and Japanese nationals.

Baguan Island is in the island province of Tawi-Tawi, near the stronghold of the small but violent Abu Sayyaf militant group, which is known for piracy and kidnapping, as well as murdering its captives if ransom demands are not met. Abu Sayyaf is thought to have been holding 27 hostages before the most recent attack.</s>Seventeen of the 25-person crew were rescued by the Philippines Coast Guard, which then pursued the attackers, Reuters reports. Those abducted were Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Dutch, German and Japanese nationals.

Baguan Island is in the island province of Tawi-Tawi, near the stronghold of the small but violent Abu Sayyaf militant group, which is known for piracy and kidnapping, as well as murdering its captives if ransom demands are not met. Abu Sayyaf is thought to have been holding 27 hostages before the most recent attack.

The southern Philippines is becoming known for such attacks, and maritime officials have warned that the area is in danger of becoming a "Somalia-type" zone if lawlessness in its waters cannot be curbed.

"The Sulu/Celebes area is the world's fastest growing piracy hotspot, with violent attacks on commercial vessels and their crews, and an increasingly successful kidnap and ransom business model," Gerry Northwood, chief operating officer at armed guard company Maritime Asset Security and Training (MAST), told Voice of America last month.

But diverting around the deep-water Sibutu Passage between Malaysia's Sabah state and the Sulu Sea of the southern Philippines, the fastest route between Australia and East Asia's big manufacturers, would cost a pretty penny and cause transport disruptions on an international scale, as many thousands of ships use it every year.

"If shipowners will skirt that area just to avoid kidnap at sea activities by these terrorists, for sure, it will have an additional cost," Philippine Coast Guard chief Commodore Joel Garcia told AFP.

"It's not just the concern of the Philippines or Indonesia and Malaysia, but of the international shipping community."

Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said earlier this month that the country planned to ask both China and the US to help defend the passage, including holding joint exercises in its waters.

The US military has been deployed for more than a decade in the southern Philippines to contain Abu Sayyaf.</s>MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Gunmen attacked a Vietnamese cargo ship off the Philippines' southern tip, killing a Vietnamese crewman and abducting six others including the vessel's captain, the Philippine coast guard and the ship's owner said Monday.



Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the Vietnamese coast guard reported that the MV Giang Hai, with 17 crewmen on board, was attacked by pirates Sunday night about 20 miles (31 kilometers) north of Pearl Bank in Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines' southernmost province.



Personnel of the Philippine coast guard, police and marines found the ship had drifted near the province's Baguan Island. Upon boarding the vessel, they found 10 Vietnamese sailors alive and one dead.



Pham Van Hien, head of the safety department of Pham Hai shipping company, the owner of the cargo ship based in Vietnam's northern port city of Hai Phong, said the captain was among those abducted. The attack occurred while the vessel was transporting 4,500 tons of cement from Indonesia to the Philippines, he said.



The gunmen destroyed some of the ship's equipment, but the 10 remaining crew members managed to sail the ship, Hien said.



He said the company had informed the IMB Piracy Reporting Center in Malaysia to seek its help in securing the return of the kidnapped crew members.



Balilo said pursuit operations are underway, but the location of the abducted crewmen and the identity of the attackers remain unknown.



Abu Sayyaf militants and allied gunmen are suspected of being behind previous sea assaults in the area, including an attack last November on another Vietnamese cargo ship whose captain and five crewmen were also kidnapped. They are believed to be held by the militants in the southern province of Sulu, where the kidnappers are holding at least 20 foreign and local hostages in different jungle locations.



An Abu Sayyaf commander known as Albhasy Misaya has been suspected of leading the kidnapping of the Vietnamese crewmen last year, but the military has not monitored any sign so far indicating the Vietnamese abducted late Sunday were also targeted by the Sulu-based militants.



Ransom kidnappings of Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese crewmen have continued despite heightened coastal and border security.



___



Associated Press writer Tran Van Minh in Hanoi, Vietnam, contributed to this report.</s>MANILA, Philippines - Gunmen attacked a Vietnamese cargo ship off the Philippines' southern tip, killing a Vietnamese crewman and abducting six others including the vessel's captain, the Philippine coast guard and the ship's owner said Monday. Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the Vietnamese coast guard reported that the MV Giang Hai, with 17 crewmen on board, was attacked by pirates Sunday night about 20 miles north of Pearl Bank in Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines' southernmost province.

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Gunmen attack a Vietnamese vessel near Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, killing at least one sailor and abducting seven others, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. Abu Sayyaf militants are suspected of being behind the attack.