I’ll never let him go abroad again, says McFaul’s son

The family of an Irishman held in the Algerian hostage crisis hope he may be home as soon as today.

Father-of-two Stephen McFaul, 36, from Belfast, made contact with his wife Angela at about 3pm to say he was safe and well.

It came as up to 35 people being held hostage by rebels at a gas plant in Algeria were killed in an air strike during an army-led operation to capture the facility.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore told CNN that Mr McFaul escaped in the confusion after the air strike and may have been forced to wear explosives by his captors.

Stephen’s 13-year-old son Dylan choked back tears as he declared he would give the electrician a “big hug” as soon as he sees him and never let him go overseas again.

“I am very happy, I just cannot wait for him to come home,” he said.

Mr McFaul is being looked after by Algerian authorities while arrangements are made for his return.

Mr McFaul, who was last at home on St Stephen’s Day, works as a supervising electrician at the gasfield.