More details are expected to come out later today, on the incident which is believed to have occurred at 3am.
A media advisory from the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) said a press conference on the matter will be held at 3pm in Lahad Datu today by Sabah Police Commissioner Ramli Din and Esscom chief Hazani Ghazali.
Kidnappings for ransom and piracy had occurred in waters off Sabah’s east coast but none so far this year.
Several people are on Esscom’s list of people wanted for maritime crimes. They include Badong Muktadil, a member of the Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom group, who was reported to have been killed by Philippine security forces in recent months.
Hazani told FMT that Esscom would get more details and intelligence from their Philippine counterpart on Badong and other members of his group.
After the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion by militants sent by the so called Sulu Sultanate in the southern Philippines to stake their claim on Sabah, security along the state’s east coast has been significantly beefed up.
The east coast of Sabah has been designated as a special security area called the “Eastern Sabah Security Zone” (Esszone) which falls under the responsibility of Esscom.