A British Airways pilot was kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by South African thieves during a layover in Johannesburg.
The unidentified pilot was caught up in the brazen ruse when he left the private development where the crew were staying to buy groceries at the 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, the masked man pushed the first officer into the back of the car and took him to an isolated location. While in custody, he was tortured for hours until he handed over “thousands of pounds.”
“It’s shocking what happened to the pilot,” a source told The Sun. “It’s like something out of a movie. He falls for a scam agreeing to help a woman in need, and before he knows it he’s bundled into a vehicle and driven away.”
The violence only ended after he agreed to hand over the money.
“He’s happy to be alive,” the source said.
A British Airways pilot was kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by South African thieves during a layover in Johannesburg. British Airways / Facebook The unidentified pilot had stepped out of the private development where the crew was staying to go to a grocery store called Checkers Bluebird when he was abducted. As he was leaving the store, a woman asked him to help her put her shopping bags in her vehicle and he was pushed in by a masked man. Google Maps
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 were “supporting our colleagues and the local authorities with their investigation.”
This is the second incident involving a British Airways employee in Johannesburg in six months, according to The Telegraph. Another pilot was stabbed in the leg while running between flights and was held at gunpoint.
They took him to a remote location where he was tortured for hours until he handed over “thousands of pounds.” Getty Images
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with about 75 taking place every day, according to the British outlet.
The British government is warning its citizens to be careful when traveling in South Africa, as there is a “high threat of terrorist attacks.”
“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in South Africa,” the government said. “There is a high rate of crime, including carjackings, ‘break-and-grab’ attacks on vehicles, rapes, sexual assaults and murders.”
It also warned that kidnappings were on the rise in African countries, warning they were usually carried out for “financial gain.”
The US State Department rates South Africa as “Level 2”, meaning it advises Americans to “increase vigilance” when traveling through the country.
“There is a higher risk of violent crime in central business districts in major cities after dark,” it warned.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
