11 January 2024 , 07:33
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A British Airways pilot is understood to have been abducted and tortured after a cruel trick during a stopover between flights in South Africa.
The man, said to be a First Officer with the airline, was approached by a woman in a supermarket car park, who asked for help carrying her shopping. When they got to her car, a group of men bundled him inside and drove him to a remote area of Johannesburg.
The victim was subjected to hours of torture and forced to hand over money leaving him "shaken" - though also happy to have escaped with his life. A replacement pilot was brought in to fly the plane back to London.
The incident is said to have taken place in an area just north of BA's secure compound, the Melrose Arch complex. BA have rules in place against their employees leaving the sites while staying in the South African city, which has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Melrose Arch is known as a 'city within a city' because of its safety compared to the surrounding area. The facility is patrolled 24 hours a day and has shops, restaurants and a bowling alley.
A British Airways spokesperson confirmed to the Sun: “A crew member was abducted outside Checkers Bluebird supermarket just north of the Melrose Arch complex.”
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A BA spokesperson added the Mirror: "We are supporting our colleague and the local authorities with their investigation."
The Mirror has approached the Foreign Office for comment.