Keralite priest Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, who was abducted from Yemen in 2016, has been reportedly rescued. The priest from Kottayam, who has been taken to Muscat, will be flown back to Kerala later on Tuesday. However, the ministry of external affairs is yet to confirm the report.
It was reported that the priest was rescued after the intervention of the Oman foreign ministry.
Father Uzhunnalil was abducted in March, 2016, by terrorists who attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Southern Yemeni city of Aden.
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj announced the release on Twitter.
I am happy to inform that Father Tom Uzhunnalil has been rescued.pic.twitter.com/FwAYoTkbj2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 12, 2017
Rescue & relief
Efforts were being made to rescue the priest for long. The rescue efforts were hampered as the Indian government did not have an embassy in the strife-torn country. As soon as media reported that Uzhunnalil has been rescued, various people including Jose K. Mani, MP, expressed happiness over the rescue.
The priest's brother also expressed happiness over the rescue, that has come as a relief to the desperate family that has been awaiting for any news on him for the past one-and-a-half years.
''Thank you, God'
A daily in the Gulf country, Oman Observer, thanked God Almighty and expressed his gratitute to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for securing his release. The priest also thanked his brothers and sisters and all relatives and friends, the daily reported.
