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Freed oil hostages tell of relief | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Scottish oil workers held hostage for nearly three weeks in Nigeria have spoken of their ordeal. | |
Graeme Buchan, Paul Smith, George McLean and Sandy Cruden had been seized by armed militants. | |
Mr Buchan said he was even forced at gunpoint to tell his employers Mr Smith was dead, leaving Mrs Smith devastated. | |
Mr Buchan, speaking at Aberdeen Airport, said: "The gun at my head may have uncovered a talent for acting I did not know I had." | |
Mr Buchan, alongside Mr Cruden and Mr Smith, who work for Sparrows Offshore in Aberdeen, touched down in Aberdeen Airport on Monday morning. | |
Mr Smith's wife Paula had feared the worst after earlier reports claimed he was dead. | Mr Smith's wife Paula had feared the worst after earlier reports claimed he was dead. |
'Think twice' | |
She described how she was hysterical after she received an "unbelievable" phone call from her husband Paul who she feared was dead. | |
The union Amicus has issued advice to oil workers in the UK who may be planning to go to the region. | The union Amicus has issued advice to oil workers in the UK who may be planning to go to the region. |
Regional officer Graham Tran said: "Think twice before you put yourself or your family through this ordeal. | Regional officer Graham Tran said: "Think twice before you put yourself or your family through this ordeal. |
"Other militant groups, not just in Nigeria, will be looking at what's happened here. | "Other militant groups, not just in Nigeria, will be looking at what's happened here. |
"It's time to sit back, focus, get the security aspects sorted out." | "It's time to sit back, focus, get the security aspects sorted out." |
The men were taken hostage earlier this month when gunmen raided one of Exxon Mobil's residential compounds housing expatriate workers in the Niger Delta. | The men were taken hostage earlier this month when gunmen raided one of Exxon Mobil's residential compounds housing expatriate workers in the Niger Delta. |
They were kidnapped along with another three oil workers from Romania, Malaysia and Indonesia. | They were kidnapped along with another three oil workers from Romania, Malaysia and Indonesia. |
Two Nigerian security guards were killed in the raid. |