Pirates Hold 10 Indonesian Sailors Hostage in Philippines

Ten Indonesian citizens are being held hostage off the Philippines after their tugboat was hijacked by a militant group demanding ransom, officials said.

The incident occurred Saturday, when the hijackers set the tugboat free and took control of a barge hauling 7,000 tons of coal, keeping the 10 sailors captive, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing a statement from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Indonesian and Philippine governments are working to coordinate a response to the situation.

The owner of the ship has been contacted by someone demanding ransom and claiming to be part of the militant Islamist group Abu Sayyaf, which has previously abducted people from ships and resorts in the area, the Times reported.