Militant group Abu Sayyaf kills another Vietnamese sailor in the Philippines: foreign ministry

A third Vietnamese hostage being held by militant group Abu Sayyaf has been executed in the Philippines.

A raid carried out by Filipino troops against the notorious militant group found several bodies, including that of Vietnamese national Tran Viet Van, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Manila is working with local agencies to return his body to Vietnam, it said.

Vietnamese nationals Hoang Trung Thong and Hoang Van Vai were beheaded by the group last week.

The three were among six crew member taken hostage when their Vietnamese cargo ship MV Royal 16 was attacked off the Philippines last November. The pirates released the vessel and 13 of its crew members at the time.

Hoang Vo, 28, managed to escape and was rescued by Filipino troops last month.

The foreign ministry met with representatives from the Embassy of the Philippines in Hanoi on Tuesday to ask for support to keep the remaining Vietnamese hostages safe.

Muslim rebel group Abu Sayyaf is notorious for kidnapping and beheading its hostages unless ransom payments are made.

German national Jurgen Kantner, 70, was beheaded in February after the kidnappers’ demand for 30 million pesos ($600 000) was not met.

Last year, the group also beheaded two Canadian hostages.