Diplomats probe reports of British hostage's death

British diplomats said today they have so far been unable to confirm reports that an oilworker kidnapped in Nigeria has died while still being held hostage.

Four British people were among seven overseas workers kidnapped at gunpoint in an attack on their residential compound nearly three weeks ago.

Today it was reported that one of the group, Paul Smith, a married father of two from Peterhead in Scotland, has died.

However, both the British Foreign Office and his employers, Aberdeen- based Sparrows Offshore, were unable to confirm this.

Mr Smith, a crane engineer, is one of three Sparrows' employees in the group being held hostage.

A spokesman for the company said today: "We are aware of an unconfirmed report that one of the hostages has died. That remains one unconfirmed report.

"Strenuous efforts are being made to establish if it is true or false, while carrying on with the principle effort which is directed at securing the release of the hostages, but we cannot comment on what remains one unconfirmed report."

He added that when the unconfirmed report was received, senior figures in the company went to see the man's family to break the news to them.

He said they continued to be in "extremely close" contact with his relatives.

The Foreign Office confirmed on October 4 that four British workers had been abducted from a residential compound close to Ekit, in Akwa Ibom state.

It has been reported that the men were taken from a bar inside the ExxonMobil contractors' compound.

There have been unconfirmed reports that the kidnappers have demanded a €31.3m ransom for the Britons - €7.9m for each kidnapped worker.

A spokesman for the British Foreign Office said today: "We are unable to confirm the reports of the death of one of the hostages.

"We are greatly concerned by these reports and are in touch with the Nigerian authorities, the men's families and their employer.

"Everything is being done to try to secure the safe release of the hostages, but at this stage we can not confirm any deaths."

In light of the kidnappings the Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Nigeria.

This year has seen an increase in crime and armed attacks against expatriates in the Niger Delta, with 18 British nationals having been kidnapped in six separate incidents.