Algeria hostage incident: 1 Malaysian dead

One of two Malaysians reported missing during a hostage incident in Algeria has been confirmed dead while the fate of the other is still unknown, according to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.

He said the family of Chong Chung Ngen had been informed of his death, and the Malaysian embassy in Algiers was making arrangements to bring the body to Malaysia.

"The Malaysian government offers its condolences to the family of the late Chong Chung Ngen," he said in a statement today.

According to the statement, the remains of most of the foreign hostages who were killed in the incident had been taken to Algiers.

On the missing Malaysian, Tan Ping Wee, Anifah said the ministry had sent a senior diplomat to help the embassy there and ensure smooth coordination with the Algerian authorities to speed up the search.

He said the ministry and the embassy worked with the countries which had their nationals involved in the incident to get the latest information and share intelligence.

Anifah also said that three Malaysians who were confirmed safe were now in Algiers.

Preparations had been made for Ravi Kappusamy and Lau Seek Chiang to return to Malaysia while Patrick Purait Awang had volunteered to stay back in Algiers to help identify his colleague, he said.

In the incident last week, five Malaysians were among 130 workers from various nations at the Ain Amenas Oil and Gas Production Complex in eastern Algeria who were taken hostage by a militant group.

The incident is believed to have been retaliation for the move by the Algerian government to allow its air space to be used by French fighter aircraft to attack Muslim rebels in Mali.