Mr Notter is being looked after by colleagues from the ICRC. He is safe, well and happy that he will soon be back with his family. However, his thoughts are with Eugenio Vagni, with whom he shared the kidnapping ordeal and who is not yet free.

The ICRC was informed by the Philippine authorities that Mr Notter was free at around 8:00am Manila time on 18 April.

“We are, of course, very relieved that Andreas will soon be back in the arms of his loved ones,” said Alain Aeschlimann, the ICRC's head of operations for East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific. “But we remain very concerned about Eugenio’s safety and we call on the abductors to let him go safely, immediately and unconditionally.”

Referring to recent official and behind-the-scenes endeavours to resolve the ordeal, Mr Aeschlimann said the ICRC appreciated all genuine efforts that had been made by national and local authorities.

Mr Notter and Mr Vagni were kidnapped in mid-January, along with Mary Jean Lacaba, near the Jolo Provincial jail, where they were working on a water and sanitation project. Mrs Lacaba was released on 2 April.