No leads on missing TV crew in Philippines

Missing Al Arabiya reporter Baker Atyani was shooting a documentary about Muslims in Ramadan when he disappeared, the channel said.

A senior official at the Dubai-based station told 7DAYS yesterday that there was still no information on the whereabouts of Atyani, their southeast Asia bureau chief.

The 43-year-old Jordanian and his Filipino film crew have not been seen since they left their hotel on Sulu island in the Philippines six days ago.

The island is a hotbed of insurgency and rebels have kidnapped foreigners in the past, although police said there was no evidence yet to suggest the team had been taken.

“We have been in contact with the police in Philippines since our correspondent and crew went missing,” said Naseer Al Sarami, head of media at Al Arabiya. “No new information about their whereabouts has emerged.”

He said authorities in the Philippines were working tirelessly to find the missing men. Al Sarami added that the station last heard from Atyani two days before he vanished.

“The crew was filming a documentary on the situation of Muslims in the Philippines and their view on the month of Ramadan,” Al Sarami said.

Sulu provincial police chief Antonio Freyra told 7DAYS yesterday that his force was still looking for the

missing TV crew but had no fresh leads.

ismail@7days.ae