Ian Rivers, Member Of Richard Engel's NBC News Crew, Escapes Syria

Final Member Of NBC News Crew Escapes
ADDS NAME OF NBC TURKEY REPORTER AZIZ AKYAVAS - This image taken from undated amateur video posted on the Internet shows NBC chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, center, with NBC Turkey reporter Aziz Akyavas, left, and NBC photographer John Kooistra, right, after they were taken hostage in Syria. More than a dozen heavily armed gunmen kidnapped and held Engel and several colleagues for five days inside Syria, keeping them blindfolded and tied up before they finally escaped unharmed during a firefight between their captors and anti-regime rebels, Engel said Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. The Arabic writing on the wall reads, "or we will burn."(AP Photo/Amateur Video)
ADDS NAME OF NBC TURKEY REPORTER AZIZ AKYAVAS - This image taken from undated amateur video posted on the Internet shows NBC chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, center, with NBC Turkey reporter Aziz Akyavas, left, and NBC photographer John Kooistra, right, after they were taken hostage in Syria. More than a dozen heavily armed gunmen kidnapped and held Engel and several colleagues for five days inside Syria, keeping them blindfolded and tied up before they finally escaped unharmed during a firefight between their captors and anti-regime rebels, Engel said Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. The Arabic writing on the wall reads, "or we will burn."(AP Photo/Amateur Video)

Ian Rivers, the last member of the NBC News' crew kidnapped in Syria, has finally been freed.

Rivers was captured along with the rest of the crew with NBC News' chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel last Thursday. Engel, producer Ghazi Balkiz and photographer John Kooistra were freed Monday after Syrian rebels attacked their captors. Rivers, however, was separated from them during the firefight.

The network announced Wednesday that Rivers — whose whereabouts were previously unknown — has left Syria safely and is in "good condition." He will be evaluated in Turkey.

"Now that Ian Rivers has been reunited with Richard Engel’s entire production team, all of us at NBC News can breathe a huge sigh of relief and express our deep appreciation to all who helped secure their freedom," NBC News president Steve Capus said in a statement. "At the same time, our thoughts and concerns are with those who remain missing inside Syria and we hope for their swift and safe release."

Before You Go

Ann Curry

Faces of NBC News

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot