Europe

Norwegian returns home after yearlong captivity Philippines

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Released Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad delivers his statement after arriving at Oslo airport Friday, Sept. 23, 2015. Sekkingstad was freed by his Abu Sayyaf captors on Saturday to rebels from the larger Moro National Liberation Front, which has signed a peace deal with the Philippine government and helped negotiate his release. (Vidar Ruud/NTB scanpix via AP) (The Associated Press)

Released Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad delivers his statement after arriving at Oslo airport Friday, Sept. 23, 2015. Sekkingstad was freed by his Abu Sayyaf captors on Saturday to rebels from the larger Moro National Liberation Front, which has signed a peace deal with the Philippine government and helped negotiate his release. (Vidar Ruud/NTB scanpix via AP) (The Associated Press)

A Norwegian man who was freed by militants in the Philippines has returned home after a year of jungle captivity.

Kjartan Sekkingstad arrived in Oslo on Friday, six days after being released by Abu Sayyaf extremists who had kidnapped him along with two Canadians who were later beheaded and a Filipino woman.

The 57-year-old Norwegian told reporters he had experienced "a year of terror," with little food, long jungle treks and a constant fear of being killed.

He recalled feeling "helpless" seeing his captors take away the first Canadian hostage to be executed "but there was nothing you could do."

Abu Sayyaf released Sekkingstad last Saturday to a rebel group, which handed him over to Philippine authorities.

Sekkingstad was kidnapped from a yacht club he helped manage in September 2015.