Everything will be done to ensure the safe return of an oil worker reportedly kidnapped in Indonesia, the First Minister has said.
Engineer Malcolm Primrose, 61, was ambushed by an armed gang as he travelled home from a drilling site in the Aceh region on Tuesday, local reports said.
Up to six men stopped his car in Lubuk Pempeng village and tied up his driver before bundling him into their vehicle.
Mr Primrose is understood to work for oil and gas company Medco E&P.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have spoken to the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO), who have confirmed that a British national was involved in an incident in Aceh yesterday and that they are in touch with local authorities and his family. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said: “We are concerned. We’re in touch with the FCO and we’re offering any assistance we can in terms of contact with relatives.
“We’ve had these situations before. We’ll ensure that everything will be done to ensure his safe return to his family.”
The drilling supervisor was reportedly kidnapped at around 11am en route from Medco’s oil-drilling site in Blang Simpo to his home in Seumali village.
East Aceh police chief Muhajir told the Jakarta Globe newspaper: “The six perpetrators, carrying three rifles and one pistol, fired a warning shot into the air while intercepting the victim’s car.
“Police officers, with the help of soldiers, are combing the surrounding areas where the victim was kidnapped and the remote areas in Ranto Peureulak to hunt the perpetrators.”