Captive found alive

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Troops found alive another employee of PT Kamundan Raya abandoned by his captors in Timika subdistrict on Monday, Antara reported yesterday.

Troops are tracking down the two workers of the logging company remaining in the hands of the separatist rebels who raided their base camp on Aug. 14.

Col. Frans de Wanna, leader of the special troops in charge of rescuing the hostages, said La Ode Arman, 18, was very weak when he was found.

De Wanna said La Ode had nasty bruises all over his body. He had spent almost a month eating leaves and walking through the jungle to get to a residential area.

He told the soldiers that he had escaped five days after being taken hostage.

The former hostage was admitted to the PT Freeport hospital in Tembagapura. (pan)