British Airways pilot kidnapped by thieves who emptied his bank account in South Africa
A British Airways pilot was kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by South African thieves during a stop-over in Johannesburg.
The unidentified pilot was caught in a brazen ruse when he left a private development where the crew was staying to buy groceries at a Checkers Bluebird store, according to The Sun.
As the pilot was leaving the store, a woman asked him to help her put her shopping bags in her vehicle.
Moments later, masked men shoved the first officer into the back of the car and drove him to a remote location. While being held, he was tortured for hours until he handed over “thousands and thousands of pounds.”
“It’s staggering what happened to the pilot,” a source told The Sun. “It was like something out of the movies. He fell for the scam of agreeing to help a woman in need, and before he knew it was bundled in a vehicle and driven away.”
The violence only ended after he agreed to hand over the money.
“He is just happy to be alive,” the source said.
The pilot was unable to fly the plane back to London and a replacement pilot had to be drafted in, according to The Sun.
British Airways told The Sun that they are “supporting our colleague and the local authorities with their investigation.”
This is the second incident featuring a British Airways employee in Johannesburg in six months, according to The Telegraph. Another pilot was stabbed in the leg while on a run in between flights and was held at gunpoint.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with roughly 75 taking place per day, according to the British outlet.
The British government warns its citizens to be careful while traveling in South Africa, as there is a “high threat of terrorist attack.”
“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in South Africa,” the government said. “There is a high crime rate, including carjacking, ‘smash and grab’ attacks on vehicles house robbery, rape, sexual assault and murder.”
It also warned that kidnappings were on the rise in the African country, warning they are typically performed for “financial gain.”
The US State Department rates South Africa as a “Level 2,” meaning it advises Americans to “exercise increased caution” while traveling through the country.
“There is a higher risk of violent crime in the central business districts of major cities after dark,” it warned.
