According to a report in the Telegraph, a British Airways pilot was kidnapped, tortured and beaten by a group who emptied his bank accounts. The incident occurred during a layover in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The pilot, a first officer, was approached by a woman asking him to help carry her bags to her car outside of a supermarket. Upon reaching the vehicle, several men shoved him into the car and proceeded to a remote location where he was allegedly tortured for hours until surrendering “thousands of pounds.”
The pilot was unable to continue his duties and fly the aircraft back to London and a replacement was brought in, according to a report in The Sun. It is apparently the second attack of a British Airways employee in the last six months. Another pilot was stabbed in the leg while on a run and held at gunpoint in 2023.
“We are supporting our colleague and the local authorities with their investigation,” the airline told The Sun. The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 advisory for individuals traveling to South Africa, urging tourists to exercise extreme caution due to prevalent violent crime in the area.