Twenty-one of the 23 oil workers kidnapped on Monday in the eastern department of Vichada have been rescued by Colombia’s armed forces, W Radio reports.
According to the army, one of the men managed to escape on Monday and helped the armed forces in their rescue efforts.
Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera told media, “Within hours we managed to rescue 21 of the 22 hostages,” adding confirmation that one had escaped prior to the rescue operation.
Rivera assured reporters, “All those rescued are in good health. We are still continuing with military operations and redoubling every effort to ensure that we find the missing person as soon as possible,” El Tiempo reported.
23 men who had been working for a subcontractor for the Canadian oil firm Talisman were kidnapped on Monday from their camp.
Initial reports by the army accused the FARC‘s 16th Front of being respnsible though the official culprits are still unknown with a Talisman spokesman refusing to accuse a group before they have examined all the information.
As soon as the men were kidnapped, the army operating in Vichada sent out a force of 1,400 men to rescue the 23, all of who are Colombian nationals.