Three Chinese workers and a Vietnamese diplomat, kidnapped on Saturday morning in Rio de Janeiro, were found by the police in Rio's metro area Itaguai yesterday morning, local police said.

Twelve masked men, armed with rifles and wearing policemen clothes, robbed the three Chinese workers' cash, watches and jewelry and kidnapped them on Saturday morning on the Paineiras Road, near the Rio's famed Christ the Redeemer statue.

Vu Thanh Nam, identified by the Vienamese Embassy as a high-ranking consular official, and his family were also robbed by the masked men on the way to the statue. He was kidnapped and taken to a shantytown of Rio after he revealed his diplomat identity.

The four hostages, who were kept inside a cistern, managed to escape on Sunday afternoon, when the kidnappers fled due to a police operation.

Chief of Tourist Protection Division Fernando Veloso said the police are looking for the kidnappers according to the information provided by the victims.