The American missionaries were on the bus en-route to the airport on Saturday to drop off some of their members when they were kidnapped by a gang.

       According to the local authorities, 17 Christian missionaries and their family members, including children, were in the bus when the attack happened.

       Details of the kidnapping remained unclear, but the New York Times reports the abduction of such a large group of Americans shocked officials for its brazenness.

       Jennifer Viau, a spokeswoman for the US State Department said by email that "we’re looking into this."

       A spokeswoman for the Haitian police said she was seeking information on the issue, according to Reuters.

       Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, an organization with direct knowledge of the incident, sent a voice message to various religious missions according to AP.

       “This is a special prayer alert,” the one-minute message said.

       “Pray that the gang members would come to repentance.”

       The message confirms that the missionaries were on their way home from building an orphanage.

       The recording also states that the mission’s field director is working with the US Embassy, and that the field director’s family and one other unidentified man stayed at the ministry’s base while everyone else visiting the orphanage was abducted.

       A US government spokesperson said they were aware of the reports on the kidnapping.

       “The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” the spokesperson said, declining further comment.

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