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ALU: The Indonesian Navy aborted a hijacking of a tugboat after it was forced to enter Palu Bay early on Monday.

Navy troops, led by Capt. Sodikin, arrested five of the hijackers, reportedly from Makassar, South Sulawesi, while two others escaped.

Palu naval commander Col. Boedi Oetomo confirmed the incident to The Jakarta Post. According to him, the tugboat and barge, owned by PT Trois Marine, were hijacked on the way from PT Tonasa dock in Pangkep, South Sulawesi, to Batu Licin, South Kalimantan.

Based on information from the Marine Security Coordinating Agency (Bakorkamla), the hijack took place in the Makassar Strait and after the hijackers took over the boat, they turned north for Palu Bay.

The Palu naval base in Watusampu received a telegram from Bakorkamla on Sunday at around 10 p.m. A patrol boat from the base, skippered by Capt. Sodikin, then gave chase.

The patrol boat was able to intercept the hijackers at around 2 a.m. on Monday in Palu Bay, near the border between Palu city and Donggala regency. The seven hijackers put up no resistance although two managed to escape. The tugboat and barge were then towed to Palu naval base.

The hijackers were detained at the base for questioning, while the two fugitives are being pursued.