Jakarta is calling for greater regional cooperation to tackle the surge in piracy, after a second Indonesian boatcrew was taken hostage in as many weeks in the South China Sea.

Pirates, believed to be linked to Abu Sayyaf militants, struck again on Friday morning, taking four Indonesian sailors hostage.

The four men were part of a crew of 10 manning the tugboat TB Henry, which was towing a barge called Christi. They were en route to Tarakan, North Kalimantan, after unloading 8,000 tonnes of coal in the Philippine island of Cebu.

… Mr Joseph Franco, an associate research fellow with the Centre of Excellence for National Security, said the Abu Sayyaf has always regarded kidnapping for ransom, or KFR, as a very lucrative endeavour.