Alotau Hostages rescued

Police firing tear gas

Staff of the PNG Air Services Sales office in Alotau, Milne Bay Province who were held hostage this morning have been rescued by police out through a back door.

The armed men are still inside the building while police are keeping the town area under lock down.

According to sources in Alotau, the armed men entered Alotau Supermarket at about 9am today intending to rob the shop, but police were alerted and the suspects fled into the PNG Airlines office next door – holding staff hostage.

 Provincial Police Commander, Joseph Morehari, told TVWan news at midday today, the hostages were released – but the gunmen were still inside with police keeping the entire town area and highway, under lock down.

It has also been reported that a number of tourists who came to Alotau on the Pacific Aria Cruise Ship and were in town, are still being unaccounted for by mid-afternoon today.

Security on the Pacific Aria are concerned about the melee – suspending tour packages in Alotau.

Meanwhile, it’s been beleived that the suspects in today’s hold up in Alotau, are part of the same group that held up Alotau’s Jade Island Trading over the weekend.

This incident occurred about the same time as today – at 9am on Saturday July 30th.

Ten armed men stormed JTI with intent to rob.

Police were alerted and in a shootout, a police officer from the highlands region was shot dead.

The suspects fled in a dinghy.

Loop PNG / PNG Today